Podcast appearances and mentions of Ben Cherington

Steve Adams joins Darragh McDonald to discuss Aaron Judge being left off the Yankees' Wild Card roster, the plan for Garrett Crochet to pitch out of Boston's bullpen, whether the Rangers will scale back their payroll next year, how the Diamondbacks could build around their core, and news that Ben Cherington expects to return as Pirates' GM following a winning season.Listener email topics include what the Guardians' low-payroll success could mean for CBA negotiations, which managerial opening is the most appealing, whether Kyle Harrison is a good extension candidate, what teams would benefit most from a system with a salary cap and floor, and which Cubs free agent is most likely to resign with the team.  

The Pirates finished the 2026 season 82-80, securing their first winning season since 2018. So now what? DiNardo and the crew look at what this season actually changed heading into 2027, including the huge September from Jared Jones, Konnor Griffin ending the year with a bang, Brandon Lowe's future in Pittsburgh, and what Ben Cherington needs to accomplish this offseason. Plus, we put ourselves to the test with the 2026 Pirates Sporcle Challenge. Can we name every single player who appeared for the Pirates this season? Download our app! : https://apps.apple.com/us/app/north-shore-nine/id6771171000 : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.northshorenine.app Use Promo Code NS930 for 30% off your first order at https://www.defer.coffee Use Promo Code NORTHSHORENINE for $20 off your first order at https://www.seatgeek.com LIKE and SUBSCRIBE with NOTIFICATIONS ON if you enjoyed the show! NS9 MERCH: https://northshorenine.myshopify.com ►Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NorthShoreNine ►Website: https://www.northshorenine.com ►Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/northshorenine ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@northshorenine ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/northshorenine ►Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/northshorenine ►Discord: https://discord.gg/3HVYPg544m #pittsburghpirates Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Pirates finished 82-80. The players want Brandon Lowe back and Joe thinks it means Lowe would come back to the team. Jared Jones predicted 90-95 wins next year. Paul Skenes, Ben Cherington, and the injuries all contributed to the Pirates underachieving. 

KDKA TV's Bob Pompeani joined the show. Bob reacted to Joey Porter Jr. speaking today and the latest with the situation. Are the Bengals a bad opponent for Porter to make his return against? Bob said the Browns may not be as easy an opponent as we think for Porter, either. The Pirates have won at PNC Park to clinch a .500 or better season, but Bob isn't ready to say it was a good season. Pomp would understand if the Pirates move on from Ben Cherington, but acknowledged that they won't. Bob said 2027 MUST be the year they return to the postseason. Bob said he would offer Brandon Lowe a 3-year, $75M contract, but isn't sure if that's enough. Bob liked what he saw from Oneil Cruz this season and has high hopes going to next season. Bob said Paul Skenes gets a D grade on the season given the absurd expectations coming into the season.

Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo from the PG joined the show. Ray said he doesn't really feel like there is an end coming soon to the Joey Porter Jr. story. Ray believes at some point the Steelers will need to put their foot down on the entire situation. It's pretty clear that the players still support Porter in the midst of a contract dispute that is keeping him off the field. Ray backed up what we saw in the clips this week – we will likely see a different pairing on the right side of the Steelers offensive line. Spencer Anderson suffered an injury in the Patriots game, but has been toughing through practice this week. Ray thinks it could get ugly from the crowd on Sunday if the Steelers go 3 & out on offense to start the game. Ray told the guys the backfield situation will be just fine, but Rico Dowdle could miss the game Sunday. Are we jumping on DK Metcalf too early after a rocky start to 2026? Ray was impressed by Germie Bernard in the loss at New England and hopes we see more of him as the season moves on. How scary are the Bengals if Joe Burrow can stay healthy? KDKA TV's Bob Pompeani joined the show. Bob reacted to Joey Porter Jr. speaking today and the latest with the situation. Are the Bengals a bad opponent for Porter to make his return against? Bob said the Browns may not be as easy an opponent as we think for Porter, either. The Pirates have won at PNC Park to clinch a .500 or better season, but Bob isn't ready to say it was a good season. Pomp would understand if the Pirates move on from Ben Cherington, but acknowledged that they won't. Bob said 2027 MUST be the year they return to the postseason. Bob said he would offer Brandon Lowe a 3-year, $75M contract, but isn't sure if that's enough. Bob liked what he saw from Oneil Cruz this season and has high hopes going to next season. Bob said Paul Skenes gets a D grade on the season given the absurd expectations coming into the season. Bucco Postgame – The Pirates beat the Cardinals, 2-1, this afternoon at PNC Park. They will be .500 or better since today was their 81st win. They have also clinched 3rd place in the NL Central, but will not make the playoffs. How do we feel about the 2026 Pirates?

Award-winning columnist Dejan Kovacevic, a lifelong veteran of the Pittsburgh sports scene, delivers a 'Daily Shot' show each weekday morning, covering the Pirates! It's available bright and early, and timed to match your commute, never longer than 20 minutes! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Award-winning columnist Dejan Kovacevic, a lifelong veteran of the Pittsburgh sports scene, delivers a 'Daily Shot' show each weekday morning, covering the Pirates! It's available bright and early, and timed to match your commute, never longer than 20 minutes! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Every weekday, award-winning columnist Dejan Kovacevic delivers three ‘Double Shot' shows as a supplement to the morning ‘Daily Shot' of Steelers, Penguins and Pirates podcasts!  Video versions streaming live on YouTube starting at 3 p.m.! Eastern Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Pirates may be eliminated, but they certainly aren't playing like it. Pittsburgh swept the Royals with three comeback wins, Brandon Lowe continues to make his case for sticking around beyond 2026, Oneil Cruz joined some elite Pirates history and Rafael Flores Jr. delivered another huge moment. DiNardo and Jim break down what this late-season run actually means and which pieces of this team should be part of the plan moving forward. Plus, Ben Cherington had plenty to say on Sunday about the Pirates' progress in 2026, the bullpen turnaround, the young core, what went wrong and why he believes the organization is entering 2027 from a much stronger position. Download our app! : https://apps.apple.com/us/app/north-shore-nine/id6771171000 : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.northshorenine.app Use Promo Code NS930 for 30% off your first order at https://www.defer.coffee Use Promo Code NORTHSHORENINE for $20 off your first order at https://www.seatgeek.com LIKE and SUBSCRIBE with NOTIFICATIONS ON if you enjoyed the show! NS9 MERCH: https://northshorenine.myshopify.com ►Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NorthShoreNine ►Website: https://www.northshorenine.com ►Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/northshorenine ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@northshorenine ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/northshorenine ►Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/northshorenine ►Discord: https://discord.gg/3HVYPg544m #pittsburghpirates Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Bucs swept the Royals this weekend in 3 good games. This weekend had everything a baseball fan wants. Well... except for being officially eliminated from the postseason and rumors of Ben Cherington not being held responsible. That's what was said, right? Let's talk about it. https://linktr.ee/bridgetobuctoberSEE THIS VIDEO FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A PAUL SKENES BOBBLEHEAD!https://youtu.be/NXULahD52UsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Award-winning columnist Dejan Kovacevic, a lifelong veteran of the Pittsburgh sports scene, delivers a 'Daily Shot' show each weekday morning, covering the Pirates! It's available bright and early, and timed to match your commute, never longer than 20 minutes! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Is Ben Cherington really coming back for Year 8? Reports from Buster Olney and Jason Mackey suggest the Pirates could retain Cherington for 2027, despite seven seasons without a winning record or postseason appearance. DiNardo, Jim and Tyler debate what progress in 2026 actually means, whether Cherington has done enough to warrant another season, and how much the final nine games should matter. Plus, does finishing .500 mean anything at this point? And the crew looks ahead to the Pirates prospects headed to the Arizona Fall League, including Wyatt Sanford and Easton Carmichael. Download our app! : https://apps.apple.com/us/app/north-shore-nine/id6771171000 : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.northshorenine.app Use Promo Code NS930 for 30% off your first order at https://www.defer.coffee Use Promo Code NORTHSHORENINE for $20 off your first order at https://www.seatgeek.com LIKE and SUBSCRIBE with NOTIFICATIONS ON if you enjoyed the show! NS9 MERCH: https://northshorenine.myshopify.com ►Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NorthShoreNine ►Website: https://www.northshorenine.com ►Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/northshorenine ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@northshorenine ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/northshorenine ►Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/northshorenine ►Discord: https://discord.gg/3HVYPg544m #pittsburghpirates Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week's baseball podcast with Kevin Gorman of TribLIVE looks at Brandon Lowe's future, the Pirates' chase for .500, how many more times Paul Skenes will pitch, missed opportunities in the wild card race and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Award-winning columnist Dejan Kovacevic, a lifelong veteran of the Pittsburgh sports scene, delivers a 'Daily Shot' show each weekday morning, covering the Pirates! It's available bright and early, and timed to match your commute, never longer than 20 minutes! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Pirates insider Jason Mackey joined the show. Jason said Ben Cherington has a 99.9% chance of returning in 2027. Jason doesn't have much confidence in Brandon Lowe returning after he became the first Pirate since 2019 to hit 30 home runs in a season. Jason said Paul Skenes needs a full off-season and told us the World Baseball Classic threw him off his routine a bit right before the year.

Hour 4 with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey: Joe thinks the Pirates need a veteran manager. Pirates insider Jason Mackey joined the show. Buster Olney said today that it would be a surprise if Ben Cherington is fired. Jason thinks Cherington will be back, barring something unforeseen late in the year. He thinks the end-of-season win total matters. Jason is surprised by how the Pirates shut Braxton Ashcraft down and was originally being cautious, but the Pirates are waiting a few days to get more information on Ashcraft.

Buster Olney said today that it would be a surprise if Ben Cherington is fired. Jason thinks Cherington will be back, barring something unforeseen late in the year. He thinks the end-of-season win total matters. Tony Beazley had a bad send of Nick Gonzales where he didn't see the ball and the Pirates didn't score with Gonzales staying at third base.

Award-winning columnist Dejan Kovacevic, a lifelong veteran of the Pittsburgh sports scene, delivers a 'Daily Shot' show each weekday morning, covering the Pirates! It's available bright and early, and timed to match your commute, never longer than 20 minutes! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Award-winning columnist Dejan Kovacevic, a lifelong veteran of the Pittsburgh sports scene, delivers a 'Daily Shot' show each weekday morning, covering the Pirates! It's available bright and early, and timed to match your commute, never longer than 20 minutes! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Somehow, someway, the Pirates are not dead. They are about to take on the Chicago Cubs in a critical series in Chicago after sweeping the White Sox. With the Pirates a game over .500 and still alive, Mullsy thinks that Ben Cherington should come back for one more year. He also says that reaching 88 wins would require them to go 14-1 in their final 15 games. Will the Pirates play spoiler if they don't go on a miracle run?

In this hour, Adam Crowley and Dorin Dickerson wonder if Pirates' GM Ben Cherington will keep his job now that the team has heated up so far in the month of September. Also, what caused New England Patriots' QB Drake Maye to struggle in Wednesday's game against the Seattle Seahawks? September 10, 2026, 6:00 Hour

BREAKING: Tua Tagovailoa injured his back in practice today and is now questionable for Sunday. The Steelers are already benefiting from facing a pretty average QB and may benefit even more if Cooper Rush is called upon. Is this turning into a must-win in the sense of difficulty level? The Patriots lost last night after 3 Drake Maye interceptions. The Pats also lost AJ Brown to a high-ankle sprain, which means he will miss the Week 2 matchup. Are you feeling better about the Steelers season now? Chris doesn't think Aaron Rodgers will change much this year and a deeper dive into the numbers shows he was bottom tier of the league in 2025. Do we see the Steelers as a playoff team as they receive some early-season schedule luck? Pirates insider Jason Mackey joined the show. How do the Pirates have to finish the season for it to be deemed a success? Even a strong finish but no playoffs should force questions about the GM putting together the best team possible after several blown games in the first half. Jason credited Ben Cherington for building the offense, but said he deserves criticism for the lack of bullpen early on. Is the front office going to use Paul Skenes as an excuse after he put together a subpar season? What will the plan be to replace Brandon Lowe assuming he leaves after a historic season? Jason thinks this season was absolutely a step in the right direction for Oneil Cruz, even with an injury that spurred things in the middle. Jason said Don Kelly is in a ‘unique' and ‘difficult' position because of the strong push in the direction of analytics that may go over his head. Jason added that Kelly is an asset to them. Jason reported to us that Ryan O'Hearn will be activated tomorrow and start for the Pirates this weekend at Wrigley Field. Jason thinks the Pirates will need 86 wins to make the playoffs, which means a 13-3 finish.

Pirates insider Jason Mackey joined the show. How do the Pirates have to finish the season for it to be deemed a success? Even a strong finish but no playoffs should force questions about the GM putting together the best team possible after several blown games in the first half. Jason credited Ben Cherington for building the offense, but said he deserves criticism for the lack of bullpen early on. Is the front office going to use Paul Skenes as an excuse after he put together a subpar season? What will the plan be to replace Brandon Lowe assuming he leaves after a historic season? Jason thinks this season was absolutely a step in the right direction for Oneil Cruz, even with an injury that spurred things in the middle. Jason said Don Kelly is in a ‘unique' and ‘difficult' position because of the strong push in the direction of analytics that may go over his head. Jason added that Kelly is an asset to them. Jason reported to us that Ryan O'Hearn will be activated tomorrow and start for the Pirates this weekend at Wrigley Field. Jason thinks the Pirates will need 86 wins to make the playoffs, which means a 13-3 finish.

Hour 1 with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey: The NFL season begins tonight between New England and Seattle. Mike Garafolo is reporting Joey Porter Jr. has received a contract offer. At some point, Joey Porter Jr. has to answer the door and take some guaranteed money. The MAC has changed its mind and wants Western Michigan to be awarded the win against Michigan after a controversial timing protocol. The Pirates need to get to at least 85 wins to have a chance. Would you move on from Ben Cherington if they don't win 85 games?

The Buccaneers and Baker Mayfield agreed to a three-year extension with $55 million per year. It was shocking after their imposed deadline passed. The Pirates need to get to at least 85 wins to have a chance. Would you move on from Ben Cherington if they don't win 85 games??

We didn't hear a ton of Aaron Rodgers throwing teammates under the bus last season. Was that because of the mutual respect he and Mike Tomlin had? A former teammate called out Rodgers for doing it regularly over the course of his career. We brought up the time he did it to Mike Williams with the Jets – which led to Williams being traded and helping the Steelers win a key game in 2024. Is this another sign that Rodgers respected Tomlin way more than he respects Mike McCarthy? Pirates pre-post game host Dan Zangrilli joined the show. Realistically, what do the Pirates have to do for any playoff shot? Dan thinks they will end up 81-81 – right at .500 for 2026. Dan thinks their opponent tonight, the White Sox, is a great example of a team on its way to the postseason after losing 100 games last season. Dan said teams like the White Sox and the Rays and Guardians are excellent at player development, which keeps them competitive every year regardless of the money spent on the Major League roster. Dan went through the trickle-down effect of some of the moves made by Ben Cherington since he took over. What were Dan's thoughts on how the team handled Oneil Cruz over the weekend? Name Game.

The Pirates are picking up steam, and fans seem to be more and more optimistic that they can make the playoffs. Have Ben Cherington and Don Kelly saved their jobs for next season?

Hour 1: Have Ben Cherington and Don Kelly saved their jobs for 2027? Dom's Twitter timeline has been very horny recently, and the guys think they know why. The show is sick of the Joey Porter Jr. contract talks discussion. And will LSU be allowed to have NFL players on its roster this fall?

Hour 1: Have Ben Cherington and Don Kelly saved their jobs for 2027? Dom's Twitter timeline has been very horny recently, and the guys think they know why. And the show is sick of the Joey Porter Jr. contract talks discussion. Hour 2: What should expectations be for Pitt football this year? The guys do not like haunted houses. And does Andrew Fillipponi have a weird obsession with Mike Tomlin? Hour 3: Chris Carter joins the show to talk Steelers and Pitt football! Dorin details an upcoming dental procedure he has. Dom quizzes the guys on Gen Z pop culture. And is a major Pitt-Syracuse bet about to be made on the show? Hour 4: Greg Brown joins the show to talk about the special events happening at PNC Park this weekend. Crowley and Dom try to figure out who is taller. And Dom has coined a new sports term.

The Pirates lost in extra innings to the Giants and had plenty of opportunities to win the game. Camilo Doval was the reliever who lost the game. Jeff thinks Don Kelly's bullpen management has been better. Would you bring back Don Kelly? Bob would and isn't a fan of one and done. Would you bring back the GM?

Hour 1 with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey: The Pirates lost in extra innings to the Giants and had plenty of opportunities to win the game. Would you bring back Don Kelly? Bob would and isn't a fan of one and done. Would you bring back the GM? Does Jared Jones profile more as a closer than a starter? Joe is concerned that Austin may be right.

Joe blames Paul Skenes first and foremost for not being himself. Ben Cherington and the bullpen are second and the rest of the Pirates rotation is third as well. Matt blames the defense for not nearly being good enough. Bob thinks Skenes and Cherington are MAJOR reasons. The injuries are a big part of this, but every team suffers injuries. What will the team's roster look like next year?

Hour 3 with Bob Pompeani, Joe Starkey, and Matt Clement: What are the top three reasons the Pirates are where they are? Joe blames Paul Skenes first and foremost for not being himself. Ben Cherington and the bullpen are second and the rest of the Pirates rotation is third as well. Matt blames the defense for not nearly being good enough. Former Duquesne basketball coach Keith Dambrot joined the show. Keith is the Fighting Spirit Honoree & Champion of Hope speaker at the Coaches vs. Cancer event next week. Keith coached LeBron James in high school!

Jason Mackey joins the show! The Pirates lost yesterday by a final score of 3-0. Jason doesn't think Bill Murphy's job security is threatened at all. Jason brings up the team's hitting performance, comparing Matt Hague's stats from last year versus this year. Who will be fired if they end the season horribly? How can Ben Cherington keep his job, if he can at all? Jason says it's a 33% chance that Brandon Lowe is in Pittsburgh next year.

Kenneth Gainwell is the first Steelers MVP to play on a new team the following year. Should the Pirates bring back Ben Cherington? Joe thinks he will be back. We don't think Lowe will be back. We think the Pirates season ended against Arizona and Cincinnati. How confident are you in the Steelers offensive line? 

The Pirates entered 2026 expecting to contend. Instead, year seven of the Ben Cherington era is ending with Pittsburgh essentially eliminated from the postseason picture. Alex Stumpf looks at what that means for Cherington's future, but also why this winter presents a unique problem. With an MLB lockout looming in December, the Pirates may have very little time to conduct a GM search, reshape the front office, address coaching and scouting, and prepare a roster that still has Paul Skenes, Oneil Cruz and a potentially competitive core. Is Pittsburgh better off making a change, or would starting over put them even further behind? OffBeat is presented by FanDuel. Read more from Alex Stumpf at Book-Rule Bucs: https://bookrulebucs.substack.com/ Download the North Shore Nine app: https://northshorenine.com/get-app Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hour 3 with Bob Pompeani, Joe Starkey, and Matt Clement: Oneil Cruz came off the bench on Sunday instead of starting after being the Pirates BEST hitter against the Dodgers. Joe thinks the Pirates may keep Ben Cherington because of injuries. Matt doesn't think Don Kelly will be gone and thinks that his job is safe. Joe thinks the Pirates may keep Ben Cherington because of injuries. Matt doesn't think Don Kelly will be gone and thinks that his job is safe.

Oneil Cruz came off the bench on Sunday instead of starting after being the Pirates BEST hitter against the Dodgers. The Pirates are facing three former Cy Young winners, with Robbie Ray today. Joe thinks the Pirates may keep Ben Cherington because of injuries.

The Pirates finished an awful weekend in Los Angeles with a 4-0 loss and a three-game sweep at the hands of the Dodgers. Cody and Doug discuss a team that looked simply uncompetitive, the organizational failures that led them here, and why Ben Cherington's process is no longer good enough. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Pirates are just hanging around enough to have an opportunity. The Cardinals were a seller but are still ahead of the Pirates and only a few games out. If the Pirates finish below the Cardinals, Joe thinks Ben Cherington's job is on the line. There are still opportunities for the Pirates, but they need to take 2/3 from the Dodgers and beat the Padres in AT LEAST 2/3.

Another labor job for Paul Skenes yesterday in a Pirates win. Poni feels like the public sentiment toward Skenes this year has become very personal and visceral. Is it deserved? Has it gotten as bad as Poni thinks? People are calling in saying he needs to change his diet and dump his girlfriend. Why might the turn be so rotten? The guys pointed out some comments Skenes has made over the course of the season on topics like the World Baseball Classic, the pending work stoppage and his overall performance. The Morning Show was ignored by Curt Schilling today. Calls about Paul Skenes. Pirates insider Jason Mackey joined the show. Is the Paul Skenes problem simply come down to a mechanical fix? Is Skenes pushing too hard since he knows things haven't gone well for him this season? The guys asked Jason about how much blame/credit Bill Murphy deserves, and he thinks it's a little bit too much on both sides. Jason thinks the most valid complaint from fans is Skenes being hard against the salary cap in baseball because that doesn't go over well with fans, especially in Pittsburgh. Jason thought the Pirates had a pretty good pitching program in place with Oscar Marin at the helm. The guys credited Andrew McCutchen for being an MVP that loved being part of Pittsburgh and with the Pirates, where as Skenes feels like a hired-gun or a mercenary. Why was Ben Cherington suggesting Skenes was having an ‘excellent' year?

Pirates insider Jason Mackey joined the show. Is the Paul Skenes problem simply come down to a mechanical fix? Is Skenes pushing too hard since he knows things haven't gone well for him this season? The guys asked Jason about how much blame/credit Bill Murphy deserves, and he thinks it's a little bit too much on both sides. Jason thinks the most valid complaint from fans is Skenes being hard against the salary cap in baseball because that doesn't go over well with fans, especially in Pittsburgh. Jason thought the Pirates had a pretty good pitching program in place with Oscar Marin at the helm. The guys credited Andrew McCutchen for being an MVP that loved being part of Pittsburgh and with the Pirates, where as Skenes feels like a hired-gun or a mercenary. Why was Ben Cherington suggesting Skenes was having an ‘excellent' year?

If Paul Skenes pitches poorly and the Pirates lose, Jason thinks there's a chance he's shut down. Ben Cherington said Skenes has been excellent, and Skenes is still top 10 in pitcher WAR, but Jason doesn't think it's been a terrible season. Jason wishes Braxton Ashcraft would have had another complete game. Jason believes Konnor Griffin will be back when eligible on Sept. 4.

Hour 2 with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey: If Paul Skenes pitches poorly and the Pirates lose, Jason Mackey thinks there's a chance he's shut down. He thinks it would be tough for the Pirates to keep Ben Cherington if they finish last. Could the Steelers trade Mason Rudolph? McCarthy said he knows what he has in Rudolph, and maybe that means he gets traded.

Jim and DiNardo recap the Pirates taking two of three from Boston and discuss what they need to keep doing to have any hope of staying in the playoff conversation. But the biggest question surrounds Paul Skenes. His next start has been pushed to Wednesday as the Pirates give him extra recovery time, with Ben Cherington acknowledging that Skenes is grinding through some fatigue despite the organization seeing no indication of an injury. So how worried should Pirates fans actually be? Plus, the latest on Oneil Cruz's rehab and a preview of the upcoming series against the Detroit Tigers. Download our app! : https://apps.apple.com/us/app/north-shore-nine/id6771171000 : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.northshorenine.app Use Promo Code NS930 for 30% off your first order at https://www.defer.coffee Use Promo Code NORTHSHORENINE for $20 off your first order at https://www.seatgeek.com LIKE and SUBSCRIBE with NOTIFICATIONS ON if you enjoyed the show! NS9 MERCH: https://northshorenine.myshopify.com ►Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NorthShoreNine ►Website: https://www.northshorenine.com ►Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/northshorenine ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@northshorenine ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/northshorenine ►Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/northshorenine ►Discord: https://discord.gg/3HVYPg544m #pittsburghpirates Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ben Cherington said Sunday it has been an excellent year for Paul Skenes. The Pirates are 3-13 in Skenes' last 16 starts. This whole situation is strange. MLB analyst Matt Clement joined the show. Matt said Skenes is not going to come out and say he is fatigued or hurt because he wants to right what he's done wrong. Matt thinks bad mechanics lead to arm fatigue, which can cause injury.

Hour 3 with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey: Ben Cherington said Sunday it has been an excellent year for Paul Skenes. The Pirates are 3-13 in Skenes' last 16 starts. This whole situation is strange. MLB analyst Matt Clement joined the show. Matt said Skenes is not going to come out and say he is fatigued or hurt because he wants to right what he's done wrong. Najee Harris is visiting the Giants. Aaron Donald tried out for the Rams.

The next Paul Skenes start is now Wednesday, after it was pushed back from this weekend. Alright, what is going on here? The Pirates are still acting like it's no big deal and they are just giving their ace a few more days. The GM says Skenes is having an excellent season. Is Skenes being humbled this year? A few former pitchers have now pointed out some mechanical issues. 93.7 The Fan MLB analyst Matt Clement joined the show. Matt thought the verbiage was odd from Ben Cherington in his weekly hit when talking about Paul Skenes. Matt explained why he doesn't think Skenes is playing through injury. Matt believes it's a mechanical issue that the Pirates are working on with Skenes which explains the reason for a few extra days off. Matt said Skenes has to get back to a north-south approach instead of east-west because that is the noticeable change in his delivery. Matt thinks Skenes will return to form at some point, but can't promise that it's this year. Matt doesn't think Skenes is out of shape. What did Matt do during his off days in Miami? Matt said he regrets not enjoying himself more during the free time of his baseball career.

93.7 The Fan MLB analyst Matt Clement joined the show. Matt thought the verbiage was odd from Ben Cherington in his weekly hit when talking about Paul Skenes. Matt explained why he doesn't think Skenes is playing through injury. Matt believes it's a mechanical issue that the Pirates are working on with Skenes which explains the reason for a few extra days off. Matt said Skenes has to get back to a north-south approach instead of east-west because that is the noticeable change in his delivery. Matt thinks Skenes will return to form at some point, but can't promise that it's this year. Matt doesn't think Skenes is out of shape. What did Matt do during his off days in Miami? Matt said he regrets not enjoying himself more during the free time of his baseball career.

Hour 1: The guys react to Drew Allar's Steelers debut last night. Who will be the Steelers' starting QB in 2027 now? And Nick Farabaugh joins the show to break down yesterday's preseason game. Hour 2: Is it time for the Steelers to move on now from Mason Rudolph? Was Aaron Rodgers almost forced to play in last night's preseason game? Dom details his Acrisure Stadium experience yesterday with “Harry” Callas. And Dom says everyone is embarrassing themselves with their Drew Allar hype. Hour 3: Mark Kaboly joins the show in-studio for the full hour! Poni shares a crazy Kevin Costner story. Could Drew Allar start games for the Steelers this season? And are the Steelers trying to cleanse themselves of Mike Tomlin? Hour 4: Poni reveals a Ben Cherington rumor that someone texted him earlier today. Jason Mackey joins the show to go through the latest news with the Pirates and Paul Skenes. And are there too many movie remakes these days?