Locked On Pirates - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Pirates

Pittsburgh Pirates face a crossroads as Don Kelly navigates his first full season at the helm—has organizational philosophy become the biggest roadblock to true contention? With the offense surging behind the likes of Oneil Cruz, Jake Mangum, and Ryan O'Hearn, questions loom over the Pirates’ bullpen management and the heavy reliance on analytics over gut decisions. Gary Morgan scrutinizes Don Kel...

We'll be live immediately following the final out for our instant reaction. Mitch Keller struggled in today's matchup, only going 3 innings and allowing 3 runs with 2 walks. Dennis Santana also continued to show his struggles this year in relief efforts. Jake Mangum, Bryan Reynolds, and Esmerlyn Valdez all went yard in the comeback efforts. The Pirates will welcome the Brewers to town to start a w...

Pittsburgh Pirates lose Konnor Griffin to the IL, but panic isn’t the answer. Should the team trade for a shortstop or trust internal depth? Gary Morgan breaks down why Jared Triolo, Nick Gonzales, and Jack Brannigan are up to the challenge, and pushes back against costly trade targets like Willy Adames and Trevor Story. The episode compares Griffin’s current defensive output to Triolo’s, highligh...

The Pirates three-game winning streak is snapped with a 3-0 loss to the Braves after Jared Jones was pulled with a perfect game. Jones went six perfect innings with 8 strikeouts, but was pulled due to a strict pitch count at 77 pitches. Former Pirates catcher Joey Bart hit a 2-run home run off Dennis Santana to give the Braves a 3-0 victory. The offense for the Pirates had just four hits and no ex...

Pittsburgh Pirates shatter records as Ryan O’Hearn delivers a historic 10-RBI performance in a 12–4 rout of the Atlanta Braves. Has this offensive explosion reignited the squad’s postseason hopes? Gary Morgan spotlights Paul Skenes finally earning run support while analyzing the significance of O’Hearn’s unforgettable night. The episode unpacks the latest on top prospect Konnor Griffin’s injury an...

Nathan breaks down the series opener between the Pirates and Braves. Have a night, Ryan O'Hearn! O'Hearn would smash 3 HR, and a team and career record 10 RBI in ONE game! Paul Skenes looked better tonight, than previous during his rough stretch, but O'Hearn stole the show. The Pirates will look to take game two and the series tomorrow night with Jared Jones on the mound.   Today's episode is brou...

Pittsburgh Pirates prepare to shape their next decade with the MLB Draft’s fifth overall pick and the league’s largest bonus pool. Will Jackson Flora become the latest ace to emerge from Pittsburgh's elite pitching pipeline, or will the front office target high-upside prep stars like Eric Booth Jr. or Jacob Lombard? The conversation focuses on draft strategy, the organization’s pitching developmen...

Gonzales and Esmerlyn Valdez fueling a 4–3 stretch on the road. Are the Pirates building real momentum for a second-half surge? Gary Morgan breaks down how aggressive baserunning from Konnor Griffin, critical late-game rallies, and improved pitching are reshaping expectations for the Bucs. All-Star roster debates heat up as Paul Skenes receives the lone Pirates nod, but should Brandon Lowe, Bryan...

Nathan breaks down game three of the series between the Pirates and Nationals. The Pirates offense started out hot with 4 runs against Cade Cavalli but then were quiet until an 8th inning rally. Bryan Reynolds, and Brandon Lowe both went yard. Bubba Chandler had a rocky start today against the Nationals. The Pirates will head back to PNC Park this week the face the Braves and Brewers.   FanDuel To...

Nathan breaks down game two of the weekend series between the Pirates and Nationals. Braxton Ashcraft put together yet again another solid outing to celebrate the 4th of July in DC. He put together 7 strikeouts and 1 earned run across 5.2 innings of work. The offense put together a solid day by scoring in bunches in the 2nd and 8th innings, along with a steal of home by Konnor Griffin in the 1st....

Mitch Keller was hit hard early and often and put the Pirates in a hole that was too much to climb out of as the Bucs fall 9-5 to the Nationals. Keller settled down and ended up going six innings with five runs allowed on eight hits, including three home runs. Bryan Reynolds hit a solo home run (12th) for the lone Pirates run of the game. Nationals first baseman Luis Garcia hit two home runs to le...

Pittsburgh Pirates threaten franchise history with a midseason power surge—could 200 home runs be within reach? Gary Morgan spotlights the transformation at PNC Park, as Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn power a lineup reinvented by Ben Cherrington’s bold offseason moves. With the Pirates surging in run production and this year’s catching corps already approaching a long-standing home run record, the...

The Pirates battled back to win a gritty 6-1 game over the Phillies to get back to .500 at 44-44. Esmerlyn Valdez had two hits and three RBIs including a huge go-ahead RBI triple in the 7th inning to continue his hot hitting. Jared Jones went four innings with one run allowed on two hits and six strikeouts. Carmen Mlodzinski came in after Jones and shut down the Phillies for three scoreless inning...

Pittsburgh Pirates’ playoff hopes hit a snag as ace Paul Skenes falters on the mound—can the team still count on their foundation? Gary Morgan tackles Skenes’ alarming slide, dissecting his recent struggles with command, declining velocity, and a changing pitch mix. The conversation spotlights the Pirates’ losing streak in Skenes’ starts, questions surrounding player workload, and the complexities...

The Pirates drop their second straight to the Phillies Wednesday night to drop back under .500 in a 10-6 loss. Paul Skenes struggled again and gave up seven earned runs as the Pirates have now lost nine straight Skenes starts. The bats got to Zack Wheeler as they chased him out of the game in the 5th inning with four runs allowed. Henry Davis belted his 7th home run of the season and Nick Gonzales...

Pittsburgh Pirates go toe-to-toe with the Philadelphia Phillies, raising questions about just how close these squads are in the NL hierarchy. Can a surging Esmerlyn Valdez and a resilient lineup close the perceived gap—and is a second-half playoff push in sight? Gary Morgan breaks down the Pirates’ comeback win and tough loss, spotlights Valdez’s breakout power, and debates if veteran Marcell Ozun...

Nathan breaks down game two of the four game series between the Pirates and Phillies. Cristopher Sanchez yet again had a stellar outing against the Pirates this year, as the bats couldn't get anything going. Bubba Chandler put together a solid effort but was given no run support. Paul Skenes will take the mound tomorrow.   FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. From the opening whis...

Pittsburgh Pirates defense faces a critical crossroads as outfield struggles and mounting errors threaten their playoff hopes. Can stars like Oneil Cruz and Konnor Griffin return in time to stabilize a unit that’s been bailed out by the infield’s solid play, or will the cost of sacrificing offense for defense prove too high? Gary Morgan breaks down tough choices facing Don Kelly, from whether Henr...

Nathan breaks down game one of the four game series between the Pirates and Phillies. The Pirates offense came back to defeat the Phillies after falling down 5-0 early in the ballgame. The bullpen gave a scare in the 8th inning, but Endy Rodriguez provided some pop in the 9th to add to the Bucs offensive efforts. Jared Triolo and Esmerlyn Valdez both homered as well. The Pirates will look to take...

Pittsburgh Pirates face a pitching staff identity crisis as internal conflicts and role confusion threaten their playoff hopes. Can reimagining the bullpen—including a bold proposal to move Jared Jones into the closer role—reverse a string of blown late-game leads and carry the Bucs back into contention? Gary Morgan examines Don Kelly’s leadership, reconstructs the Pirates’ rotation and bullpen de...

Nathan breaks down the series finale between the Pirates and Reds. Ryan O'Hearn, Tyler Callihan, and Esmerlyn Valdez all showed their power in the Pirates win over the Reds. Mitch Keller, Carmen Mlodzinski, and Dennis Santana all hunkered down against the Reds. The Pirates will head to Philly to start a 4-game series tomorrow.   Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!   Amazon This Back To School S...

The Pirates bullpen and Gregory Soto blew another save on Eugenio Suarez's 3-run home run in the top of the 9th to push the Reds past the Bucs 9-7. The Pirates rallied to take the lead on Esmerlyn Valdez's pinch-hit go-ahead solo home run in the 8th inning to lead 7-6, but couldn't hold it in the 9th inning. Brandon Lowe also homered for his team-leading 20th blast of the season, a three-run bomb...

The Pirates fall in the opening game of the Reds series as Paul Skenes struggles again with four earned runs in the 2nd inning. He settled in and went five innings with seven strikeouts, but hasn’t won a game since May 12. The Pirates bats rallied back with Esmerlyn Valdez hitting a solo HR to tie the game in the 6th inning, but the Reds scored the go ahead two runs in the top of the 8th inning on...

Pittsburgh Pirates surge past .500 at midseason for the first time since 2015—can they capitalize on a wide-open National League playoff race? Gary Morgan spotlights Nick Gonzales' breakout at third base, the fight for a Wild Card spot, and the surprising strength of the Pirates’ run differential despite a shaky bullpen. Trade deadline strategy takes center stage as Gary Morgan explores what NL co...

Bubba Chandler and the Pirates bullpen held onto a 5-1 victory to take the series over the Mariners Thursday afternoon at PNC Park. Henry Davis had two hits including a two-run home run and Brandon Lowe hit his 19th home run to give the Pirates offense early. Chandler limited the Mariners to one run in 5.1 innings and the Pirates bullpen held it the rest of the way allowing just one hit in 3.2 inn...