Locked On Pirates - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Pirates

The Altoona Curve are one win away from advancing in the Southwest Division playoffs after a dominant Game 1 win over Erie. Gary breaks down the standout performances, previews Game 2, and dives into why AA success hasn’t translated to MLB impact for the Pirates — and why that needs to change. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! 5-Hour ENERGY Enough with boring, flavorless caffeine, it’s time t...

Is Don Kelly actually a good manager, or just better than Derek Shelton? We break down his record, the Pirates’ reliance on Paul Skenes, and how this six-year stretch compares to the worst in MLB history. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! 5-Hour ENERGY Enough with boring, flavorless caffeine, it’s time to give your caffeine a flavor upgrade with 5-hour ENERGY®️ shots. Get the favorites you lo...

Gary Morgan breaks down the Pirates’ current infield usage and projects who’s earned a job for 2026. He answers a listener question about mental health support in pro sports and previews early 40-man roster decisions, including Hunter Barco and Brandon Bidois. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! 5-Hour ENERGY Enough with boring, flavorless caffeine, it’s time to give your caffeine a flavor upgr...

Gary Morgan goes off on Oneil Cruz’s disappointing season and questions whether he can be part of the Pirates’ future core. He also honors Roberto Clemente on his day and asks fans to share their stories for a future tribute episode. Finally, he breaks down Ji-Hwan Bae’s confusing recall and what it says about the team’s direction. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! 5-Hour ENERGY Enough with b...

What if the Pittsburgh Pirates don't fire Ben Cherington? Gary Morgan explores the implications of keeping the current GM in place—from the front office vision to the 2026 roster. Is continuity the key, or a recipe for more of the same? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! 5-Hour ENERGY Tee up that trip! Enter for a chance to win a dream golf trip for two to any golf tournament* in the USA. Visi...

Paul Skenes reaches 200 strikeouts, but the Pirates clinch another losing season. Gary Morgan breaks down Skenes’s performance, the Orioles series, and the Pirates’ five-year offensive decline. Plus, what Henry Davis’s struggles say about the team’s development system. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! 5-Hour ENERGY Tee up that trip! Enter for a chance to win a dream golf trip for two to any...

Two Pirates affiliates—Altoona and Greensboro—are in the playoffs, facing off against teams loaded with Top 100 prospects. We break down the matchups, highlight standout players, and discuss the value of winning in the minors. Plus, Braxton Ashcraft’s case for a 2026 rotation spot and a look at the upcoming Roberto Clemente documentary airing on The History Channel. Support Us By Supporting Our Sp...

AMA Time! Gary answers your questions about Paul Skenes’ Cy Young chances, MLB expansion cities, the Pirates’ offseason plans, Brandan Bidois’ insane streak, and whether the team should go all-in on Eugenio Suárez. Plus: Oviedo vs. Keller trade value, the middle infield debate, and how to bridge a 180-inning gap in the 2026 rotation. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! 5-Hour ENERGY Tee up that...

The Pirates were swept by the Brewers, marking their fourth time being swept this season and continuing a streaky trend of feast-or-famine baseball. We break down the series, highlight performances, and dig into the team’s sweep stats. Then, we take a closer look at Bubba Chandler’s rough first MLB start and what it means for his development. Finally, we revisit Oneil Cruz’s ongoing slump — a puzz...

Paul Skenes leads the Pirates to a sweep of the Dodgers and tightens his grip on the Cy Young race. Don Kelly’s leadership and Isaac Mattson’s breakout rookie season highlight a strong stretch for Pittsburgh. We honor the 54th anniversary of the first all-minority lineup with details from the plaque ceremony and preview tonight’s Brewers matchup featuring Quinn Priester vs. Johan Oviedo. Support U...

Braxton Ashcraft escapes two jams, Shohei Ohtani scratches his start but still hits, and the Pirates shut out the Dodgers. Then we dive into a full minor league check-in: stats, stories, rankings, and ETAs on Griffin, Barco, Florentino, Johnson, Stafura, Flores, Harrington, and Sanford. Finally, we break down the Pirates’ pitcher usage in August and what it means for 2026—can we trust the results?...

The Pirates beat the Dodgers 9–7 in a game full of drama and development. Gary recaps the key moments — from Bubba Chandler’s outing and Shohei Ohtani’s historic 120 MPH homer to Jared Triolo’s clutch performance and breakout August. Plus, a preview of tonight’s Braxton Ashcraft vs. Ohtani matchup, with a spotlight on Ohtani’s ongoing Tommy John rehab. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! 5-Hour...

The Pirates call up Nick Yorke and Cam Sanders — we break down Yorke’s AAA stats and why it took so long. Then, we dive into how power dominates MLB and answer a listener question about what a 2027 lockout could mean for team control. Finally, we preview a brutal homestand against the Dodgers and Brewers, featuring marquee matchups like Kershaw vs Mlodzinski and Snell vs Skenes. Listener Survey We...

The Pirates claimed Ryan Kreidler off waivers—so why not Nick Yorke? We break down the decision and what it says about the team’s priorities. Then, we assess the Pirates’ post-All-Star performance and Don Kelly’s impact, arguing that 2026 improvement is within reach. Finally, we revisit five unforgettable Pirates performances that were never repeated. It’s a mix of roster moves, optimism, and nost...

In this episode of  Locked On Pirates , host Gary Morgan breaks down Oneil Cruz’s rollercoaster 2025 season month-by-month and sets expectations for 2026. Listener questions spark a deep dive into Rafael Flores’ AAA performance and the team’s chances of reaching .500 next season. Plus, we examine the free agent market at third base and in the outfield—from budget-friendly veterans to dream targets...

MLB playoff races heat up as Kyle Schwarber's 4-homer game stuns the league. Is this the most impressive offensive performance of the season? Jeff Carr and the squad break down the latest developments in the American and National League playoff hunts. The hosts debate the difficulty of hitting for the cycle versus a 4-homer game, analyzing Schwarber's recent feat and its historical context. The co...

Bubba Chandler tossed four scoreless innings to earn his first MLB win in a tight 2–1 victory over the Cardinals — and it’s time to talk about what’s next for the Pirates’ top pitching prospect. Then, we dive into a listener-submitted debate comparing Termarr Johnson to Nick Yorke and ask whether Jared Triolo’s late-season surges make him the anti-Mitch Keller. Finally, we count down the ten best...

On today’s Locked On Pirates, host Gary Morgan makes the case for Henry Davis as the starting catcher in 2026—even if the bat doesn’t fully come around. With elite defensive metrics and a team built around pitching, Davis is the right fit. We also dive into the Pirates’ sweeping changes to their player development system, including the creation of a Performance Department and key front office hire...

The Pirates dropped a tough one in St. Louis, but the real story is Andrew Heaney’s continued struggles—0.2 innings, 5 earned runs, and no answers. Johan Oviedo was pulled after four innings as part of a planned ramp-up, and the bullpen couldn’t hold it. Bryan Reynolds continues to look like himself with another multi-hit night, and we close with a reality check on Termarr Johnson—still just 20, s...

In this episode of Locked On Pirates , Gary dives into the rising Cy Young buzz around Paul Skenes and what it means for the Pirates' future. Then it’s back to PNC Park, where the team’s home-field performance is starting to tell a different story. Finally, Jared Triolo’s recent surge at the plate gets the spotlight—has he turned a corner, or is this just a hot streak? All that and more in a jam-p...

This week, our panel of experts from across the Locked On MLB network tackles the big news that Rob Manfred teased, big changes could be coming to baseball. More teams, realignment of the divisions and maybe even more? Is this good or bad news for the future of the game?  Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! 5-Hour ENERGY Tee up that trip! Enter for a chance to win a dream golf trip for two to a...

In this special episode, host Gary Morgan dives deep into the rollercoaster ride that has been the Bob Nutting era of Pittsburgh Pirates baseball (2007–present). Through a series of Top Ten lists, we explore the highs and lows that have defined nearly two decades of Pirates history—from breakout hitters and dominant starting pitchers to free agent gambles and front office misfires. Whether you're...

The Pirates are calling up Bubba Chandler — but not to start. Gary breaks down the plan to use him in long relief and what that means for a bullpen already stretched thin. Johan Oviedo returned with a strong outing to help the Bucs take the series from Toronto, and we dive into what his performance means for the 2026 rotation. Plus, Bryan Reynolds is quietly heating up, and Oneil Cruz’s return cou...

Mitch Keller’s annual late-season meltdown is back on schedule, and the Pirates are now 53–74. But hey, Johan Oviedo is returning, so… maybe that’s something? Gary recaps the latest loss to the Blue Jays, then takes you to Altoona for a much more enjoyable night of baseball featuring Konnor Griffin’s AA debut, Duce Gourson’s breakout performance, and Tyler Samaniego throwing gas like he’s got some...

Paul Skenes bounces back, Mitch Keller stumbles, and Cutch speaks out. In today’s episode, Gary breaks down Paul Skenes’ strong rebound performance against the Blue Jays and what it means for the Pirates’ rotation. Then, we dive into Mitch Keller’s post-All-Star break struggles—what’s going wrong, and can he turn it around? Finally, Andrew McCutchen opens up about his future and the team’s playoff...