PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Thomas Harrington made his MLB debut against the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla. and struggled throughout.
Harrington got into trouble early in the first inning, allowing a single to Rays designated hitter Yandy Diaz and walking second baseman Brandon Lowe.
He got third baseman Junior Caminero to fly out, but then fellow rookie in Rays right fielder Jake Mangum would hit a double, scoring both Diaz and Lowe for a 2-0 lead.
Harrington forced second baseman Curtis Mead to fly out, but then allowed a single to left fielder Kameron Misner. Mangum would come around and Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz missed the ball when he picked it up, allowing Misner to score and make it a 3-0 lead.
Advertisement
He ended the first inning with his first strikeout against shortstop Taylor Walls and had a decent second inning, only allowing a single to Diaz, while getting three ground outs.
Harrington allowed a single to Mangum to start the third inning. Mangum then stole second base and after he walked Mead, he threw a wild pitch that moved both runners up a base. Misner would hit a sacrifice fly off of him and make it 4-0.
Diaz singled off of him in the fourth inning and then Harrington allowed a two-run home run over the right field wall from Lowe, making it a 6-0 deficit.
He finished his day by allowing seven hits, four walks and six earned runs with just two strikeouts over 90 pitches.
Harrington earned his first start, as the Pirates called him up the same day, designating catcher Jason Delay for assignment to put him on the 40-day roster and moving right-handed pitcher David Bednar down to Triple-A Indianapolis.
Advertisement
He started 12 of 13 games in 2024 for Double-A Altoona in 2024, with a 2-2 record, 2.24 ERA in 68 1/3 innings, 74 strikeouts to 10 walks and an opposing batting average of .227.
Harrington moved up to Triple-A Indianapolis on Aug. 4 and finished with a 5-1 record in eight starts, a 3.33 ERA in 46 innings, 38 strikeouts to eight walks and an opposing batting average of .212.
Harrington made his first spring start against the Philadelphia Phillies on March 18 at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla., a 3-2 win on a walk-off home run for the Pirates.
He allowed a home run to Phillies designated hitter Nick Castellanos in the top of the first inning, but that served as the only hit he allowed in 3 2/3 innings, with just one walk and three strikeouts on the day.
Harrington also started the Grapefruit League finale on March 24 vs. the Minnesota Twins at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, Fla. He allowed four earned runs over three innings in the 5-1 defeat.
Advertisement
He is the No. 3 prospect in the Pirates system and No. 79 prospect overall according to MLB Pipeline.
Harrington starred for Southern Lee High School in Sanford, N.C., with a 4-0 record, 0.32 ERA and 54 strikeouts over 43.2 innings worked in his junior season in 2019.
He would commit to Campbell as a walk-on, not playing his senior high school season as COVID-19 pandemic cancelled it.
Harrington starred in 2021 as a freshman, starting 14 of 16 he pitched in, a 6-3 record, a 3.45 ERA in 75.2 innings pitched and 75 strikeouts to 28 walks. He earned Big South Freshman of the Year, Second Team All-Big South and Freshman All-American honors from CBN, Baseball America and D1Baseball.
He improved in his sophomore season, going 12-2 in 15 starts, a 2.53 ERA in 92.2 innings pitched, 111 strikeout to 18 walks and held opposing hitters to a .204 batting average.
Advertisement
Harrington earned First Team All-American honors from D1Baseball and ABCA, Second Team All-American honors from NCBWA and Collegiate Baseball News and Third Team All-American honors from Baseball America, He was also the Big South Pitcher of the Year and made the First Team All-Big South.
The Pirates would select Harrington with the No. 36 overall pick in Round 1, as a competitive balance pick, earning a $2,050,000 million signing bonus.
Harrington started out 2023 with the Bradenton Marauders of the Florida State League at Single-A, where he had a 4-1 record in eight starts, 2.77 ERA in 39.0 innings, 40 strikeouts to 12 walks and held opposing hitters to a .230 batting average.
He earned a promotion to the Greensboro Grasshoppers of High Single-A in June 2023, where he spent the rest of the season. He had a 3-5 record in 18 starts, a 3.87 ERA in 88.1 innings pitched, 106 strikeouts to 29 walks and holding opposing hitters to a .255 batting average.
Make sure to visit Pirates OnSI for the latest news, updates, interviews and insight on the Pittsburgh Pirates
P3R, the organization behind the Pittsburgh Marathon, has opened registration for one of this fall’s largest local races.
Runners can now sign up for the 10 Miler and 10K, scheduled for Nov. 8. P3R expects a record-breaking 6,000 participants at this year’s events, according to spokeswoman Kelsey Emch. The events drew more than 5,500 participants last year.
The 10 Miler course begins at Station Square and travels through the North Shore, the Strip District and Downtown, while the 10K begins on the North Shore near PNC Park and follows the 10 Miler route the rest of the way.
Both races finish on Liberty Avenue Downtown – a common ending point for P3R events.
Advertisement
P3R CEO Troy Schooley said in a release that the 10 Miler and 10K have become a “signature fall tradition” for Pittsburghers of all abilities.
“Whether participants are chasing a personal best, enjoying the event with friends or taking part in the walking division, this race delivers an unforgettable experience while showcasing our city at its very best,” he said.
The 10 Miler costs around $66 per person with processing fees, and the 10K costs around $49. Discounts are available through June 9.
Those interested in participating can register on P3R’s website. Registrants receive complimentary racing bibs, branded long-sleeve shirts, and medals.
Mike Darnay is a digital producer and photojournalist at CBS Pittsburgh. Mike has also written and produced content for Vox Media and the Mon Valley Independent.
He often covers overnight breaking news, the Pittsburgh Steelers and high school sports.
Advertisement
Read Full Bio
/ CBS Pittsburgh
Advertisement
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.
Advertisement
Pittsburgh Regional Transit has begun installing new ReadyFare machines at stations throughout the agency’s system.
Pittsburgh Regional Transit
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.
Advertisement
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.
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.
Advertisement
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.
The Fine Family Apiary in Monongahela removed about 12,000 to 15,000 bees from Acrisure Stadium.
(Photo: The Fine Family Apiary/Facebook)
Advertisement
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.
