Pittsburg, PA
Pirates Pitching Drawing Trade Interest
The Pittsburgh Pirates could be shedding some of their pitching depth this offseason.
Will Sammon and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reported that the Pirates have been drawing some interest in their pitching alongside the Arizona Diamondbacks, though, the 2023 National League champions may have a leg up because their options are more ready to help a team in 2025.
The fact that the Diamondbacks have “more options and more quality gives them a leg up in trade talks,” Sammon and Mooney write. “The Pirates are another team said to be drawing interest in their pitchers, though since Pittsburgh’s arms are mostly of the younger variety, the Pirates might appeal to teams in a bit of a rebuild stage rather than teams looking for a win-now piece for 2025. It can also be assumed that the Bucs have pitchers (i.e.,) who aren’t going anywhere, whereas the D’Backs can be more broadly open to at least listening on any of their starters.”
For the Pirates, it doesn’t take much thought to know that Paul Skenes and Jared Jones would be completely off of the table in any trade talks. Their other three starters, right-handed pitchers Luis Ortiz and Mitch Keller and left-handed pitcher Bailey Falter may be there to be had if they can bring back a proven bat for Pittsburgh.
Ortiz was solid upon entering the starting rotation in July and finished the year 4-4 with a 3.22 ERA as a starter. Falter showed promise, though, he was inconsistent, going 8-9 with a 4.43 ERA across 28 starts in 2024.
If a team is looking for a more proven option, Mitch Keller could fit the bill, though, his second-half struggles could be a cause for concern. Keller was 11-12 with a 4.25 ERA last season but was 1-7 with a 5.65 ERA after the All-Star break.
Pittsburgh having three top-100 pitching prospects in Bubba Chandler, Braxton Ashcraft and Thomas Harrington also helps the Pirates’ cause in looking to trade pitching for a bat. If one of Keller, Falter, Ortiz, or even Ashcraft or Harrington could bring back a proven hitter that the Pirates desperately need, they would be remiss not to at least consider making that deal.
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Pittsburgh Regional Transit has started to install its ReadyFare vending machines as the agency prepares to roll out its new fare payment system.
PRT said it’s working to roll out its new ReadyFare system and has started to install the new machine at some of its light-rail stations.
The new machines recently were installed at PRT’s Gateway station in Downtown Pittsburgh.
PRT said that as it prepares to roll out the new system, current ConnectCard holders will receive a card in the mail with instructions on how to request a ReadyFare card.
The new ReadyFare cards will be able to be purchased at the new machines for $1.
PRT said that riders will be able to transfer any balances they have on a ConnectCard to the new ReadyFare cards using an online balance transfer form.
Pittsburg, PA
About 5 pounds of bees removed from Acrisure Stadium scaffolding ahead of Morgan Wallen concerts
Acrisure Stadium is buzzing with excitement ahead of the back-to-back Morgan Wallen concerts. Except it’s not the fans generating all the excitement — it’s about 5 pounds of honeybees.
The Fine Family Apiary in Monongahela said it was contacted on Wednesday about a swarm of bees clustered on the stage scaffolding. The apiary put the swarm in a “nuc box” and took them home before moving the bees into full-size equipment.
Owner Al Fine estimates the swarm weighed about 4 to 5 pounds and consisted of 12,000 to 15,000 bees. All said, it took less than two hours to get the job done.
Why do bees swarm?
Swarming is how honeybees propagate, Fine explained. According to Penn State Extension, during swarming, the queen and about half the workers leave their home to establish a new nest. The bees will form a temporary cluster, hanging out while scouts search the surrounding area for a more permanent home in hollow spaces like tree cavities or, occasionally, the walls of a home.
Swarms can stick around for several hours or days until they’re ready to move, Penn State Extension says. Meanwhile, the colony left behind is temporarily without a leader until a new queen is established.
With the swarm at Acrisure Stadium removed, Morgan Wallen’s show is ready to go on. The country music megastar will bring his I’m The Problem Tour to Pittsburgh on June 5 and June 6, along with multiple acts like Brooks & Dunn and Ella Langley.
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