North Shore Nine: A Pittsburgh Pirates Podcast

Cody and Neil breakdown Braxton Ashcraft's superb 7 inning outing as well as the Pirates offense getting the job done and collecting 6 runs. BONUS: towards the end of the show news broke that Pirates no. 9 prospect Esmerlyn Valdez has been called up so stay tuned for our reactions! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of persona...

The Pittsburgh Pirates picked up a 7-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals, with Carmen Mlodzinski giving them five scoreless innings and the bullpen finishing the job with four scoreless frames. But even after a strong day from the relief group, the Pirates’ bullpen situation still feels far from settled. On today’s episode of OffBeat, Alex Stumpf breaks down the Pirates’ decision to option Isaac Ma...

The Pittsburgh Pirates finally snapped out of a rough stretch with a 7-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals, and Konnor Griffin was right in the middle of it. Griffin went 4-for-5, continued to look more comfortable at the plate, and gave Pirates fans another reason to believe the 20-year-old rookie is becoming a major piece of this team. Tyler and Neil break down Griffin’s big night, Carmen Mlodzin...

The Pirates finally made an aggressive move. Alex Stumpf breaks down why the promotion of Jhostynxon “Password” Garcia feels different from recent Pirates call-ups, why the timing matters after the Phillies series, and why Pittsburgh couldn’t afford to play it safe with Ryan O’Hearn sidelined. Can Password provide the spark this lineup desperately needs? And if he succeeds… could he force his way...

The Pittsburgh Pirates dropped another frustrating game to the St. Louis Cardinals, losing 9-6 after battling back and taking a lead. Anthony DiNardo and Doug break down Mitch Keller’s outing, the bullpen decisions that changed the game, the continued late-inning struggles, Henry Davis’ offensive issues, missed opportunities from the lineup, and why this loss felt like more than just one bad night...

With Joey Bart sidelined by a foot infection, the Pittsburgh Pirates are right back in the middle of a major catching question. Henry Davis has improved defensively, controls the run game well, and has earned trust with the pitching staff, but the offensive production has not followed. Meanwhile, Endy Rodriguez is back in the majors after heating up in Triple-A Indianapolis and immediately showing...

The Pittsburgh Pirates were swept by the Philadelphia Phillies in a series where almost nothing went right. It was not just the bullpen. The offense stayed quiet, the starting pitching failed to set the tone, the defense was sloppy, and the Pirates looked overmatched across the board. On this episode of Bucco Brew, we break down a brutal series loss, what went wrong in all phases, and why this wee...

The Pittsburgh Pirates are coming off their roughest weekend of the season after getting swept by the Philadelphia Phillies, blowing a 6-0 lead on Friday, getting shut out on Saturday and Sunday, and falling to last place in the NL Central. On today’s OffBeat, Alex Stumpf breaks down why this series felt different, from the bullpen collapse and Dennis Santana’s struggles to Paul Skenes turning in...

The Pittsburgh Pirates were shut out 6-0 by the Philadelphia Phillies, completing a frustrating sweep in a weekend where just about everything went wrong. Paul Skenes had a rare off day, the offense had no answer for Zack Wheeler, and the Pirates’ outfield situation became even harder to ignore. Tyler and Doug break down why this series felt so ugly, what went wrong for Skenes, how the Pirates wer...

The Pittsburgh Pirates were embarrassed again, falling 6-0 to the Philadelphia Phillies in a game that felt over almost immediately. Bubba Chandler struggled from the jump, Bryce Harper delivered the early blow, and Christopher Sanchez completely shut down the Pirates offense with a dominant complete-game performance. Tyler and Anthony DiNardo break down another ugly Pirates loss, Chandler’s conti...

On this episode of Bucs On Deck, Jim and Anthony Murphy break down Jhostynxon “The Password” Garcia, one of the most intriguing outfielders in the Pittsburgh Pirates system. Garcia came over from the Boston Red Sox in the Johan Oviedo trade and has already shown why the Pirates were interested. He brings real raw power, the ability to play all three outfield spots, legitimate center-field defense,...

The Pittsburgh Pirates had this game in their hands, and then the bullpen completely gave it away. On tonight’s NS9 Postgame Show powered by Primanti Brothers, DiNardo and Jim break down the Pirates’ brutal 11-9 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies after blowing leads of 6-0 and 8-3. The offense did its job, Braxton Ashcraft gave them enough to win, but the late innings turned into a disaster as Maso...

Ryan O’Hearn helped power the Pittsburgh Pirates to a series win over the Colorado Rockies, and his recent swing adjustments may be a major sign for an offense that looks dramatically different from last season. Alex Stumpf breaks down how O’Hearn has fit into the Pirates lineup, why his left-handed power and defensive versatility have mattered, and how the additions of O’Hearn, Brandon Lowe, Marc...

Jared Jones is eligible to return from the IL on May 25, and all signs point toward that happening soon. But the bigger question around the Pirates is not just when he returns, it is what role he returns to. On tonight’s NS9LIVE!, we dive into Jones’ upcoming return, the recent bullpen question he brushed off, the reaction to his demeanor, and the fact that both Ben Cherington and Don Kelly have a...

Cody and Doug breakdown the action from the Pirates chilly day game win over the Rockies! Don Kelly's Opener approach prevails, and the Buc's offense stays hot! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ bullpen has been searching for answers, and Brandan Bidois is now getting his first real opportunity in the big leagues. On today’s OffBeat, Alex Stumpf breaks down Bidois’ promotion, why the timing raised some questions, and what makes the Pirates’ young reliever such an interesting arm. Bidois was the Pirates’ 2025 Minor League Reliever of the Year and brings a unique hig...

The Pittsburgh Pirates looked like they were in complete control against the Colorado Rockies, with Mitch Keller perfect through four innings and the offense jumping out to an early 3-0 lead. Then everything unraveled. Jim and Neil break down the Pirates’ frustrating 10-4 loss, Keller’s six-run fifth inning, the missed offensive opportunities, and why going 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position...

Paul Skenes delivered another dominant start for the Pittsburgh Pirates, striking out 10 Colorado Rockies hitters over eight scoreless innings while allowing just two hits. Alex Stumpf breaks down why this may have been Skenes’ best start of the season, how his pitch mix helped him overwhelm Colorado, and why Don Kelly made the right call by not sending him back out for the ninth inning. The discu...

Paul Skenes is no longer just the Pirates’ ace. He might be the best pitcher alive. Paul Skenes delivered another ridiculous performance for the Pittsburgh Pirates, going eight dominant innings and continuing to build a real case as the best pitcher in baseball. DiNardo and Doug break down Skenes’ latest masterpiece, his absurd season numbers, why his efficiency matters, and how his presence chang...

Seth Hernandez is wasting no time making noise in the Pittsburgh Pirates farm system. After dominating in Low-A with eye-opening strikeout numbers, an ERA under one, and three secondary pitches producing massive whiff rates, Hernandez has already earned a promotion to High-A Greensboro. On today’s OffBeat, Alex Stumpf breaks down why Hernandez’s stuff has been so overwhelming, what makes his fastb...

The Pittsburgh Pirates offense has been night and day compared to last season. They’re top five in baseball in runs scored, and six everyday players currently have a wRC+ of 115 or higher. On this episode of Bucco Brew, we break down what has changed, how real this offensive surge feels, and why this version of the Pirates looks so much more dangerous. We also give Braxton Ashcraft the love he des...

The Pirates had a series win, a winning road trip, and another very winnable game slip through their fingers. On today’s episode of OffBeat, Alex Stumpf breaks down the Pirates’ frustrating extra-inning loss, why Don Kelly made the right call going to the bullpen after Bubba Chandler’s outing, and why the bigger issue is what happened next. Gregory Soto has been outstanding. Mason Montgomery has c...

The Pittsburgh Pirates dropped the series finale against the San Francisco Giants in a frustrating game that felt very much within reach. Bubba Chandler gave the Pirates a chance, the offense created traffic, and the team had multiple opportunities to take control — but missed chances, defensive mistakes, and more bullpen concerns proved costly. On this NS9 Postgame Show powered by Primanti Brothe...

The Pittsburgh Pirates finally got the offensive explosion they were waiting for, putting up 13 runs and 20 hits in a blowout win over the San Francisco Giants. Tyler and Neil break down the Pirates’ massive night at the plate, another dominant start from Braxton Ashcraft, Joey Bart’s revenge game, Nick Gonzales continuing to hit, Oneil Cruz coming through against a lefty, and what this win means...

Murf Gray has been one of the hottest hitters in the Pirates’ minor league system, and on this week’s Bucs On Deck, Jim and Anthony Murphy break down what makes his early pro performance so interesting. Gray, a competitive balance pick in last year’s draft, is already showing an intriguing offensive profile in Bradenton with power, hard contact, strong bat-to-ball skills, and the type of productio...