◆NEWSKonnor Griffin To Begin Rehab Assignment◆ROSTERSent SS Konnor Griffin on a rehab assignment to Altoona Curve◆HOT BATOneil Cruz: .256 AVG, 3 HR, 8 RBI, .920 OPS (last 2 weeks)◆LAST GAMEBraxton Ashcraft 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 K◆ROSTERRecalled LHP Evan Sisk from Indianapolis Indians◆ON THE BUMPBraxton Ashcraft: 1.89 ERA, 9 K (last 2 weeks)◆ROSTEROptioned RHP Noah Murdock to Indianapolis Indians◆STATNick Gonzales ranks 2nd in the NL in batting average (.307)◆ROSTERSigned free agent RHP Tyler Owens to a minor league contract◆STATPaul Skenes ranks 6th in the NL in strikeouts (175)

OffBeat

Paul Skenes Is Ours And He's Spectacular

Sep 19 · 01:14:21

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Episode Notes

We push back on the national trade chatter and lay out why the Pirates shouldn’t entertain it—period. From roster construction to timeline, we talk realistic paths to keep your ace in Pittsburgh and what an early-career plan could look like. Then we dive into Rafael Flores’ surprise call-up and debut. Why adding him now (9/18) makes sense for the 40-man, what we saw in his first game (hard contact, first MLB knock, drew a walk), and how his bat profiles alongside the current lineup. We also break down MLB’s new “recovery period” rule for amateurs—what it changes for scouting HS/college arms and how it could shape future drafts.