Blanco (leg) began a rehab assignment with the Florida Complex League Pirates on Saturday, Anthony Murphy of DKPittsburghSports.com reports.
Blanco has been sidelined all season with a leg injury, but he should be nearing a return to Single-A Bradenton. He has excellent power potential but will need to display the ability to make more consistent contact to eventually make an impact in the majors.
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Pirates' Tommy Pham: Getting day off
Rotowire
Pham is not in Saturday's lineup against the Twins.
Pham has been the Pirates' best hitter since late June, hitting .429 with three homers, 15 RBI and seven runs scored across his last 14 games. He'll hit the bench after starting six straight games, with Jack Suwinski starting in left field.
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Strikes out six vs. Twins
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Skenes (4-8) took the loss Friday against the Twins, giving up two runs on five hits and no walks in five innings. He struck out six.
Skenes started fast, retiring the first nine batters he faced, but a single by Byron Buxton and ensuing blast by Trevor Larnach resulted in a pair of runs against the hurler. The last-place Pirates could be starting to manage the All-Star right-hander's workload, as Skenes has failed to reach the 90-pitch threshold in any of his past four starts, which may be something for fantasy managers to monitor post-All-Star break. Through 121 innings for the campaign, he boasts a 2.01 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 131:30 K:BB.
Pirates' Ryan Borucki: Continuing rehab at Triple-A
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Borucki's (back) rehab assignment was transferred to Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday.
Borucki threw a perfect inning in a rehab outing at Low-A Bradenton, and he'll advance to Indianapolis. The 31-year-old reliever should need only one or two more minor-league appearances before being activated, though Pittsburgh will likely wait until after the All-Star break to add Borucki to the active roster.
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Pirates' Matt Gorski: Bumped from 40-man roster
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The Pirates designated Gorski for assignment Friday.
Gorski has been on the shelf with an undisclosed injury since May 23, and it's unclear when he'll be back in action. Friday's move opens up a spot for Yohan Ramirez on the 40-man roster.
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Pirates' Jared Triolo: Sent down to Triple-A
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The Pirates optioned Triolo to Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday.
Triolo had been mired in a 2-for-33 (.061) slump at the plate since June 10, and the Pirates will send him to Indianapolis to potentially rediscover his swing. The move opens up a spot on the active roster for reliever Yohan Ramirez.
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Pirates' Yohan Ramirez: Joining active roster
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The Pirates selected Ramirez's contract from Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday.
Ramirez will get his first taste of MLB action this season, as he is getting called up after re-signing a minor-league contract with Pittsburgh on July 6. The 30-year-old has logged a 3.07 ERA and a 39:11 K:BB across 29.1 innings with Indianapolis this season. Jared Triolo was optioned to Triple-A, and Matt Gorski was designated for assignment in corresponding moves.
Chandler threw six scoreless innings, striking out seven while allowing five hits and two walks with Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday.
Chandler had a turbulent June with Indianapolis, failing to complete more than four innings across five starts with a 12:11 K:BB in the month. However, he's now turned in consecutive scoreless outings to begin July, working a combined 12 frames while posting a 13:4 K:BB. His timeline to reach the majors remains unclear, though the Pirates are likely to deal at least one member of their rotation before the trade deadline, potentially clearing Chandler's path.
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Pirates' Konnor Griffin: Looking like future star
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Griffin is slashing .312/.414/.505 with four home runs and 14 steals in 24 games for High-A Greensboro.
Griffin has 13 homers and 40 steals in 74 games across Single-A and High-A in his first pro season after getting selected ninth overall in last year's draft. A 6-foot-4 shortstop who has also played eight games in center field, Griffin is an elite athlete who seems to be getting better as a hitter as the season goes on. He had a 22.9 percent strikeout rate and 6.5 percent walk rate in 50 games at Single-A and has a 19.8 percent strikeout rate and 11.7 percent walk rate so far at High-A. Once Roman Anthony graduates, Griffin will have a strong case for being the No. 1 overall prospect for dynasty leagues.
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Pirates' Bailey Falter: Struggles with power
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Falter didn't factor into the decision Wednesday against Kansas City, allowing three runs on six hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 4.2 innings.
Falter yielded multiple home runs for a second consecutive start, surrendering a solo homer to Salvador Perez and a two-run shot to Jac Caglianone. Falter hasn't completed six frames in seven straight outings, logging a 5.17 ERA and an 18:12 K:BB over 31.1 innings during that stretch. He'll take a 3.79 ERA into the All-Star break.
Davis is not in the lineup for Wednesday's contest in Kansas City.
Davis had started each of the previous three contests and looks to have emerged as Option 1A at catcher for the Pirates to Joey Bart's 1B. However, Bart will be behind the dish Wednesday and will bat seventh.
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Pirates' Ryan Borucki: Starts rehab assignment
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Borucki (back) struck out one in a scoreless inning in his first rehab appearance with Single-A Bradenton on Tuesday.
The southpaw landed on the 15-day injured list in late June with a lower-back injury but has been cleared to ramp things back up in game action. Borucki's absence has been brief, so it shouldn't take long before he rejoins the Pirates' active roster.
Pirates' Jack Suwinski: Hitless in return to majors
Rotowire
Suwinski went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts Tuesday against the Royals.
Suwinski was recalled Tuesday and appears to be headed for his first significant stint in the majors since being optioned April 20. He immediately drew a start in right field while hitting seventh, replacing Andrew McCutchen in the lineup. Suwinski is likely to serve primarily as a bench bat while he remains in Pittsburgh, but he could start a few times per week while rotating in for McCutchen and Tommy Pham.
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Pirates' Nick Gonzales: Tallies fourth homer
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Gonzales went 1-for-4 with a solo home run Tuesday against the Royals.
Gonzales took Seth Lugo yard in the seventh inning, delivering his fourth home run of the season and third in his last 17 starts. He's also hit .328 in that span while driving in nine and scoring nine runs. Gonzales doesn't deliver standout power or much stolen base production, but he is locked into the cleanup spot in Pittsburgh's lineup.
