Podcasts about Marcell Ozuna

The Pirates dropped three of four games in Milwaukee and have officially fallen into last place in the NL Central. They are now three games under .500, five games out of a Wild Card spot and sitting at just a 12.6% probability of reaching the postseason. Is the Pirates' season already over, or is there still enough time for them to recover? Ty Ty and DiNardo break down how Pittsburgh reached this point and what would need to happen for the team to climb back into the race. Mitch Keller has also been transferred to the 60-Day IL, opening another hole in the starting rotation. Don Kelly announced that Carmen Mlodzinski will return to the rotation and start Friday. Is Mlodzinski the best option, and could removing him from the bullpen create another problem for the Pirates? Plus, Austin Hays, Rob Refsnyder, Mitch Garver, Jorge Soler and Andrew McCutchen have all recently become available. After designating Marcell Ozuna for assignment, should the Pirates take a chance on any of them? @eddiep_photos 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.

During the 4pm hour of today's show Chuck & Chernoff talked about the Braves, the MLB Trade Deadline, Jorge Soler, Marcell Ozuna, Kirby Smart, the Georgia Bulldogs, Grant Holmes, Bryce Elder, the Braves starting pitching, Georgia Tech Football, Chris Sale and more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

During the 4pm hour of today's show Chuck & Chernoff talked about the Braves, the MLB Trade Deadline, Jorge Soler, Marcell Ozuna, Kirby Smart, the Georgia Bulldogs, Grant Holmes, Bryce Elder, the Braves starting pitching, Georgia Tech Football, Chris Sale and more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have released Marcell Ozuna, ending a disappointing experiment that never came close to delivering what the team expected. On this emergency episode of OffBeat, Alex Stumpf breaks down why the $12 million signing failed, how Ozuna compares with the worst Pirates free-agent additions of the 21st century and why the team ultimately chose Ronny Simon as it searches for production against left-handed pitching. The Pirates gave Ozuna every opportunity to turn things around. With the team still fighting for a Wild Card spot, however, continuing to wait was no longer an option. Download the NS9 app: https://northshorenine.com/get-app Subscribe to Book Rule Bucs: https://bookrulebucs.substack.com/ More Pirates coverage: https://northshorenine.com/ Join the NS9 Discord: https://discord.gg/kZCCknkR8Y OffBeat with Alex Stumpf is presented by FanDuel. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hour 4 with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey: Matt Clement thinks the Marlins and Nationals are not a part of the wild card race after selling. Austin is going to his huge wiffleball tournament this weekend and his team has raised over $10,000 for Type 1 Diabetes. Jason doesn't think that Marcell Ozuna will sign with another team. He believes the Pirates gave Ozuna plenty of chances to be in their lineup. Jason said Paul Skenes is NOT hurt. He thinks Skenes is training too much and needs to save some of himself for games.

Hour 3 with Bob Pompeani, Joe Starkey, and Matt Clement: Marcell Ozuna has been released and Matt thinks the Pirates pulled the plug on him twice, once to take him out of the lineup and the other to be released. Matt doesn't think Andrew McCutchen is being considered an option. Is this season finally going to turn for Paul Skenes? If the Pirates are going to be in the playoff race, Skenes needs to dominate again.

The Pirates offense is struggling. Injuries are an issue, but guys you are counting on are hitting the wall. Esmerlyn Valdez is 0-12 in August with eight strikeouts. Ronnie Simon has been recalled from Triple-A. Could this be the end of the road for Marcell Ozuna? There are a lot of moving parts. Asante Samuel Jr. and Roman Wilson are both having great training camps. What do you make of Drew Allar's camp?

Alex Stumpf and Colin Beazley have both confirmed the Pirates have released Marcell Ozuna. How would you grade how Ben Cherington has done? The Brandon Lowe and Ryan O'Hearn additions have been significant. Signing Ozuna was a bad decision and Joe thinks Cherington's drafts the last few years saved his job. Is Ozuna the worst free agent signing in Pittsburgh sports history?

MLB analyst Matt Clement joined the show. Marcell Ozuna has been released and Matt thinks the Pirates pulled the plug on him twice, once to take him out of the lineup and the other to be released. Ozuna was the Pirates backup plan after missing on Eugenio Suarez. Matt doesn't think Andrew McCutchen is being considered an option. 

Pirates insider Jason Mackey joined the show. Jason doesn't think that Marcell Ozuna will sign with another team. He believes the Pirates gave Ozuna plenty of chances to be in their lineup. Jason said Paul Skenes is NOT hurt. He thinks Skenes is training too much and needs to save some of himself for games. He thinks Skenes needs to throw a little bit harder and not throw his secondary pitches as much.

Hour 1 with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey: The Pirates offense is struggling. Injuries are an issue, but guys you are counting on are hitting the wall. Esmerlyn Valdez is 0-12 in August with eight strikeouts. Ronnie Simon has been recalled from Triple-A. Could this be the end of the road for Marcell Ozuna? Alex Stumpf and Colin Beazley have both confirmed the Pirates have released Marcell Ozuna. How would you grade how Ben Cherington has done?

The Pirates have cut ties with Marcell Ozuna. One of the big offseason acquisitions was finally let go after a very disappointing 2026 season. But the takes may surprise you – the guys think it's a very odd time to do this, just days after the trade deadline. The corresponding move is Ronny Simon, who we have seen in small doses and likely won't provide more than Ozuna, even in a bad year. Was this the right move and did it come at the right time?

Should the Pirates sign Andrew McCutchen to a cheap deal in an attempt to replace Ozuna and pick up a bat that can hit lefties? Mullsy does not think that this would be a good idea at all, to which Poni disagrees and thinks it is worth a shot. The Pirates cannot hit lefties this year at all, and they do not have any good options of right-handed bats in Triple A. Some of the available options on waivers for right-handed bats include Jorge Soler, Lane Thomas, or Joey Wiemer. Former Pirates slugger and current broadcaster Kevin Young joined the show. KY thinks that the biggest reason why Marcell Ozuna's stint with the Pirates didn't work out is because age is undefeated, and father time caught up to Ozuna. He also says that it felt like Ozuna didn't have a good feel for where the barrel of his bat was whenever he would swing. Kevin doesn't buy that Ozuna's lack of playing time contributed to his struggles, and mentions that Ozuna had a ton of opportunities early in the season to get into a groove, and he was very bad. Kevin says that it isn't surprising that Esmerlyn Valdez is going through a rough patch, as he is still very young. McCarthy Minute – What did Mike McCarthy say to the media today? McCarthy talked a lot about getting the young offensive linemen reps in camp. There has also been a lot of talk about Roman Wilson, and apparently the 3rd year receiver is running with the first team right now.

The Pirates have cut ties with Marcell Ozuna. One of the big offseason acquisitions was finally let go after a very disappointing 2026 season. But the takes may surprise you – the guys think it's a very odd time to do this, just days after the trade deadline. The corresponding move is Ronny Simon, who we have seen in small doses and likely won't provide more than Ozuna, even in a bad year. Was this the right move and did it come at the right time? What could the Pirates have done instead of signing Marcell Ozuna this offseason? What move could the Pirates have made at the deadline to offset this move? Rodgers Realm – Will ESPN cover the Steelers differently after what Aaron Rodgers said on The Pat McAfee Show the other day?

Former Pirates slugger and current broadcaster Kevin Young joined the show. KY thinks that the biggest reason why Marcell Ozuna's stint with the Pirates didn't work out is because age is undefeated, and father time caught up to Ozuna. He also says that it felt like Ozuna didn't have a good feel for where the barrel of his bat was whenever he would swing. Kevin doesn't buy that Ozuna's lack of playing time contributed to his struggles, and mentions that Ozuna had a ton of opportunities early in the season to get into a groove, and he was very bad. Kevin says that it isn't surprising that Esmerlyn Valdez is going through a rough patch, as he is still very young.

What could the Pirates have done instead of signing Marcell Ozuna this offseason? What move could the Pirates have made at the deadline to offset this move?

The Pirates entered Wednesday with one of baseball's worst offenses against left-handed starters. After Eduardo Rodriguez delivered eight scoreless innings, that weakness has become impossible to ignore. Alex Stumpf examines Pittsburgh's fifth consecutive loss against a left-handed starter, the missed opportunity to strengthen its Wild Card position and why the lineup cannot depend on another trade to solve this problem. He also discusses Marcell Ozuna's continued struggles, the importance of getting Oneil Cruz back and why the Pirates still need to prioritize bullpen help at the trade deadline. Subscribe to Alex's Book Rule Bucs newsletter: https://bookrulebucs.substack.com/ Presented by FanDuel. Download our app! : https://apps.apple.com/us/app/north-shore-nine/id6771171000 : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.northshorenine.app Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ZY250XUYiS-yX7xOQCdLA/join 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.

Hour 1: Chris and Donny are live at Casino Pittsburgh today! Why was Carmen Mlodzinski used in the Pirates' loss yesterday? Chris reveals he is the president of his HOA. And Jason Mackey joins the show to preview the Pirates' next moves before the deadline.

Hour 3 with Joe Starkey and Matt Clement: The Pirates lineup is out and Marcell Ozuna is batting sixth. The Pirates could have a great lineup when players are back from injury. If the Pirates fix the bullpen, they can do something special. Matt Clement thinks giving up a great prospect that becomes very good could hurt, but he doesn't disagree the Pirates should be aggressive. Matt points to some pitchers on the Padres and Angels that make sense. Jared Jones is finding his groove and has dominated the last month.

Was this homestand an ending of the Pirates season? They haven't had a long winning or losing streak all year. Poni doesn't want fans telling other fans how to fan after Marcell Ozuna was boo'd last night. Some bad free agent signings in Pirates history.

Was this homestand an ending of the Pirates season? They haven't had a long winning or losing streak all year. Poni doesn't want fans telling other fans how to fan after Marcell Ozuna was boo'd last night.

The Steelers reported to Saint Vincent College today as another training camp is set to begin, with the first practice tomorrow. The first person to speak to reporters was DK Metcalf. The big takeaway from that chat was Metcalf saying a lot of the work offensively in 2025 was like ‘walking on egg shells.' What does this say about Mike Tomlin? The guys wondered how much power Aaron Rodgers really had – or any QBs after Ben Roethlisberger for that matter. Joey Porter Jr. and Jalen Ramsey among players placed on PUP list as the Steelers arrived to training camp. Porter is awaiting a new deal, so his situation isn't likely to be a ‘real' injury. What is Porter envisioning for his new deal? If it's $31M/year, that would be up there with the highest in football. Do the Steelers value Porter as much as other teams value corner? PG columnist Noah Hiles joined the show. Noah confirmed the good news we were already aware of – that Esmerlyn Valdez is OK after being hit on the hand last night. What will this lineup look like when Oneil Cruz returns? Are the Pirates in need of another right-handed bat? Noah dove into the possibility of getting rid of Marcell Ozuna by next week's trade deadline. Noah's expectation is for the Pirates to only part with prospects and nobody from the Major League club. Noah said this needs to be a year in which the Pirates are aggressive. How much do owners have to look to 2028 because of a potential work stoppage next season? Noah thinks the Pirates will make 4 trades by Monday at 6 pm.

Hour 4: Dan Zangrilli joins the guys from PNC Park to go through the latest Pirates news and rumors. Dom reveals he is a 76ers fan, but is it a real fandom? And the guys play another round of the Name Game!

Pirates pre-post game host Dan Zangrilli joined the show. Dan described the scene of Esmerlyn Valdez letting us know he would be good to go, as early as tonight. Spencer Horwitz reportedly has a concussion even though we saw him paling around in the dugout last night. Dan doesn't think Horwitz will have too much more time added to his IL stint. Why was Horwitz playing A ball in his rehab to begin with? Dan thinks Mason Montgomery took a step forward as the team's future closer in the last 2 games. What affords Marcell Ozuna back-to-back starts? Tonight is his first start against a righty in 3 weeks. What will the trade deadline look like for the Buccos?

PG columnist Noah Hiles joined the show. Noah confirmed the good news we were already aware of – that Esmerlyn Valdez is OK after being hit on the hand last night. What will this lineup look like when Oneil Cruz returns? Are the Pirates in need of another right-handed bat? Noah dove into the possibility of getting rid of Marcell Ozuna by next week's trade deadline. Noah's expectation is for the Pirates to only part with prospects and nobody from the Major League club. Noah said this needs to be a year in which the Pirates are aggressive. How much do owners have to look to 2028 because of a potential work stoppage next season? Noah thinks the Pirates will make 4 trades by Monday at 6 pm.

How should Ben Cherington approach the trade deadline? He said yesterday that you should do everything in your power to win games if you have the chance to compete. This leads the listener to believe that Pirates will be heavy buyers at the trade deadline. Mullsy believes that this quote from Ben Cherington is a straight up statement of his intentions for this trade deadline. Donny Football Debrief – It has truly been a very wacky last week around the NFL. Pirates reporter Colin Beazley from the PG joined the show. Colin confirms that the Pirates want to add players at the deadline that will help them win games this year. Colin also says that he has had multiple people come to him and say they would love to have Mason Miller, but he highly doubts the Pirates actually make a move for him. Colin is not sure that the Pirates will actually get an opportunity to trade Marcell Ozuna.

The Pirates salvaged the series against the Cubs with a win yesterday, crushing former Bucco Jameson Taillon. Do they have another need when it comes to a right-handed bat? The only power bat they have from the right side (that isn't a switch hitter) is Esmerlyn Valdez. It would be a lot different if Marcell Ozuna got it going, but we have waited long enough for that. After being dominated by lefties on back-to-back nights this weekend, is a right-handed bat in their future? Just how good has Esmerlyn Valdez been against lefties this year in comparison to the rest of the team? Cherington Chatter – What were some big takeaways from Ben Cherington yesterday?

Pirates reporter Colin Beazley from the PG joined the show. Colin confirms that the Pirates want to add players at the deadline that will help them win games this year. Colin also says that he has had multiple people come to him and say they would love to have Mason Miller, but he highly doubts the Pirates actually make a move for him. Colin is not sure that the Pirates will actually get an opportunity to trade Marcell Ozuna.

The Pirates salvaged the series against the Cubs with a win yesterday, crushing former Bucco Jameson Taillon. Do they have another need when it comes to a right-handed bat? The only power bat they have from the right side (that isn't a switch hitter) is Esmerlyn Valdez. It would be a lot different if Marcell Ozuna got it going, but we have waited long enough for that. After being dominated by lefties on back-to-back nights this weekend, is a right-handed bat in their future?

Jared Jones delivered six innings of one run baseball, but the Pittsburgh Pirates wasted chance after chance in a 3 to 2 extra innings loss to the Chicago Cubs. Tyler and Neil break down the bases loaded failure in the fifth inning, Henry Davis' difficult night behind the plate and on the bases, Jake Mangum's baffling bunt attempt in the tenth and the continued struggles against left handed pitching. They also discuss Marcell Ozuna's place on the roster and whether Bryan Reynolds, Brandon Lowe and Ryan O'Hearn can break out of their current slumps. The show closes with a look at Jones' improved mechanics, aggressive approach and emergence near the top of the Pirates rotation. North Shore Nine is presented by FanDuel. The NS9 Postgame Show is powered by Primanti Brothers. 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 ️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! https://streamyard.com/pal/d/4776784802611200 ️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! https://streamyard.com/pal/d/4776784802611200 ️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! https://streamyard.com/pal/d/4776784802611200 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hour 2 with Jeff Hathhorn: Post-Gazette columnist Noah Hiles joined the show. Noah doesn't think anyone is looking to acquire Mitch Keller right now, or looking to trade him. Who is going to trade for Marcell Ozuna? The Pirates should have room to add payroll, but it will be difficult. The Pirates strength is the starting rotation. Ben Cherington said there are things the Pirates could have done with trades, but people would not be happy with it.

Post-Gazette columnist Noah Hiles joined the show. Noah doesn't think anyone is looking to acquire Mitch Keller right now, or looking to trade him. Who is going to trade for Marcell Ozuna? The Pirates should have room to add payroll, but it will be difficult. The Pirates strength is the starting rotation. Noah doesn't think Jared Jones will pitch past the sixth this season. The Pirates need another pitcher to eat innings.

The Pittsburgh Pirates closed out the weekend with a 14-5 win to complete a three-game sweep of the first-place Milwaukee Brewers. DiNardo and Doug break down Paul Skenes' encouraging start, a ridiculous 10-run fourth inning and huge production from Henry Davis, Jared Triolo and Marcell Ozuna. The Pirates now head into the All-Star break three games over .500 with an offense that continues to produce despite injuries to Konnor Griffin, Oneil Cruz and Spencer Horwitz. Subscribe to North Shore Nine for more Pittsburgh Pirates coverage throughout the 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 lineup is out for tonight. Marcell Ozuna is in it, against a righty, showing that the injuries have really started to stack up. What are their options dwindling down to with the amount of injuries they are currently dealing with?

The Pirates lineup is out for tonight. Marcell Ozuna is in it, against a righty, showing that the injuries have really started to stack up. What are their options dwindling down to with the amount of injuries they are currently dealing with? We heard from Konnor Griffin, one day after being placed on the IL that will keep him out 8-10 weeks. ALL ACCESS w/ Aditi – Aditi thinks the TJ Watt ranking among the NFL executives is pretty fair considering the dip in numbers he had in 2025. Aditi said she didn't put Watt on her All Pro ballot last year. How much would it help Watt to move around a little bit? Donny Football Debrief – Will people have easy access to Steelers preseason games? What about Xfinity users who are currently without NFL Network?

93.7 The Fan Sports Director Jeff Hathhorn joined the show. The guys asked Jeff about the big injury news surrounding the Pirates, which includes Konnor Griffin and Endy Rodriguez. Why were the Pirates being so secretive about this stuff? Marcell Ozuna is in the lineup tonight – could he be down to his final days in the Pirates lineup? Is there a chance Griffin heals a little quicker since he is so young? Why did Carmen Mlodzinski get used last night with the Pirates up big? The guys got Jeff's reaction to what Ryan O'Hearn did last night and where it ranks among single-game performances in Pirates history.

Team USA takes on Belgium tonight with a chance to go to the quarterfinal round for the first time since 2002. The United States will benefit from Flo Balogun being OK'd to play tonight after receiving a red card in the win over Bosnia last week. Donald Trump claimed to take over the situation and get Balogun the green light to play tonight. Does that muddy the waters of international play? Is there a precedent set for this? The guys said FIFA is so corrupt, so it shouldn't be a huge surprise to see this happen. Chris said he will have trouble swallowing the victory of Balogun scores the game-winner. Pirates pre/post game host Dan Zangrilli joined the show. Dan thinks the future of Brandon Lowe is in question if the Pirates fall apart ahead of the trade deadline, but acknowledged that he doesn't think that will happen. Is the starting pitching better than what they have shown the last month or two? Dan wants to see the Pirates acquire multiple arms at the deadline if they are still in the race. How much would it take to reunite with Aroldis Chapman? Dan talked about the change in coaching and philosophy that may have impacted the pitching staff. How much more time does Marcell Ozuna have in a Pirates uniform and could they actually find a trade partner for him? ‘Did he play here?'

Rich Gannon, a former NFL MVP, said that if he had Mike McCarthy for the first half of his career, it would've been different because McCarthy made him a better player. Does this give you confidence that McCarthy can turn Allar into a good QB? Baseball writer John Perrotto joined the show. John believes that the Mets fire sale is real and that they actually will try to trade all their relievers on expiring deals. He is not sure if the Mets will trade Luke Weaver due to the fact that he is under contract for another year after this one. John thinks that the Pirates might be hanging onto Marcell Ozuna because they don't want to make Oneil Cruz upset by releasing him. Donny Football Debrief – The guest list for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding has been revealed.

Pirates pre/post game host Dan Zangrilli joined the show. Dan thinks the future of Brandon Lowe is in question if the Pirates fall apart ahead of the trade deadline, but acknowledged that he doesn't think that will happen. Is the starting pitching better than what they have shown the last month or two? Dan wants to see the Pirates acquire multiple arms at the deadline if they are still in the race. How much would it take to reunite with Aroldis Chapman? Dan talked about the change in coaching and philosophy that may have impacted the pitching staff. How much more time does Marcell Ozuna have in a Pirates uniform and could they actually find a trade partner for him?

Baseball writer John Perrotto joined the show. John believes that the Mets fire sale is real and that they actually will try to trade all their relievers on expiring deals. He is not sure if the Mets will trade Luke Weaver due to the fact that he is under contract for another year after this one. John thinks that the Pirates might be hanging onto Marcell Ozuna because they don't want to make Oneil Cruz upset by releasing him.

Esmerlyn Valdez delivered the biggest swings in the Pirates' series finale against the Phillies, but his recent production is becoming about more than one good game. Alex Stumpf explains why Valdez has earned an extended opportunity as an everyday player, the improvements he is already showing at the plate and why the Pirates cannot justify giving Marcell Ozuna more at-bats right now. Could Valdez simply take hold of an outfield job and keep it for the rest of the season? OffBeat is presented by FanDuel. Subscribe to Alex Stumpf's Book-Rule Bucs Substack: https://bookrulebucs.substack.com/ Download our app! : https://apps.apple.com/us/app/north-shore-nine/id6771171000 : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.northshorenine.app Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ZY250XUYiS-yX7xOQCdLA/join 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.

Hour 4: Is Pittsburgh the best fireworks city in the country? Poni wonders why Marcell Ozuna continues to be left off the Pirates lineup. And Dom torches a Steelers podcaster following a social media feud yesterday.

The Pittsburgh Pirates were completely overmatched by Cristopher Sánchez in an 8-0 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. The offense finished with only four hits, Bryan Reynolds' 34-game on-base streak ended and Marcell Ozuna struck out three times. Jim and Tyler discuss why Bubba Chandler pitched much better than his final line, Don Kelly's decision to leave him in during the seventh inning and another disastrous performance from the Pirates bullpen. They also discuss Esmerlyn Valdez reaching base three times, the lineup's continued struggles against left-handed pitching and Wednesday's Paul Skenes versus Zack Wheeler matchup. 0:00 Pirates lose 8-0 3:17 Bubba Chandler's misleading final line 6:32 Did Don Kelly leave Bubba in too long? 10:13 Another bullpen disaster 16:51 Cristopher Sánchez shuts down the offense 17:48 Esmerlyn Valdez stays hot 19:46 Marcell Ozuna continues to struggle 24:40 Why is Billy Cook still playing? 27:18 Paul Skenes versus Zack Wheeler Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Pirates fell back to .500 after another winnable Paul Skenes start slipped away in a 6-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. Jim and Tyler break down Skenes' concerning recent stretch, Konnor Griffin homering in his return from the injured list, big swings from Marcell Ozuna and Esmerlyn Valdez and another bullpen failure that leaves Pittsburgh at 41-41. 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 Pittsburgh Pirates reached the halfway point at 41-40 and remain firmly in the National League Wild Card race, but their midseason report card is all over the place. Jim and Tyler grade every position group, the coaching staff and Ben Cherington's front office. The outfield and revamped infield have carried the offense, while the bullpen, designated hitter spot and Marcell Ozuna signing receive failing grades. Alex Stumpf also joins the show to explain why the Pirates have been one of MLB's worst teams at using ABS challenges. The guys finish by revisiting their preseason predictions and discussing MLB's latest CBA proposals, including the growing possibility of another lockout. Subscribe to Alex Stumpf's Book Rule Bucs: https://bookrulebucs.substack.com/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jeff Hathhorn thinks Kyle Dubas is going to try and be active to acquire a star. Jeff thinks the Pirates need two bullpen arms, even if one's a flyer on somebody. The Pirates truly value what Marcell Ozuna brings to their clubhouse. Jeff would be shocked if the Steelers move off Will Howard and thinks it's more likely they try to trade Mason Rudolph.

Why have the Steelers not retired Terry Bradshaw's No. 12? Marcell Ozuna is hitting .296 in June despite mostly singles. Brendan Sorsby was denied entry into the Supplemental Draft. Jeff Patton of Baseball Card Castle joined the show.

Hour 1 with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey: The Penguins have been officially sold to the Hoffmann's. The deal is for about $1.75 billion from Fenway Sports Group to the Hoffmann Family of Companies. How should we remember FSG? Poni suggested giving up Ben Kindel and a first-round pick for Jason Robertson. Why have the Steelers not retired Terry Bradshaw's No. 12? Marcell Ozuna is hitting .296 in June despite mostly singles.

Don Kelly believes the Pirates are about to see a different Marcell Ozuna. Alex Stumpf remains far from convinced. Ozuna produced one of his better games of the season Tuesday, but his .598 OPS, continued swing-and-miss issues and lack of explosiveness still raise major concerns. Alex explains why a few productive at-bats do not prove Ozuna has turned a corner, what a legitimate turnaround would look like and why the $12 million signing could be remembered as one of the worst in Pirates history. With Konnor Griffin emerging as Pittsburgh's best right-handed hitter, the Pirates badly need Ozuna to finally provide the power they expected. Read more from Alex at Book Rule Bucs: https://bookrulebucs.substack.com/ Download our app! : https://apps.apple.com/us/app/north-shore-nine/id6771171000 : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.northshorenine.app Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ZY250XUYiS-yX7xOQCdLA/join 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In his weekly Pirates mailbag video, Post-Gazette Pirates insider Colin Beazley answers reader questions. Among them: How will manager Don Kelly and GM Ben Cherington handle the catching situation following the Joey Bart trade that leaves Henry Davis and Endy Rodriguez front and center? Are Jared Jones and Carmen Mlodzinski being handled correctly? Or are they being given too big a say in their usage? What is standing between Konnor Griffin and a healthy return to the lineup? And is DH Marcell Ozuna beginning to figure things out at the plate? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.