Chandler (1-1) earned the win against the Rays on Friday, allowing one run on three hits and one walk while striking out three across six innings.
Chandler punched out only three batters while generating eight whiffs, but he was incredibly efficient with his pitches, tossing 62 strikes on 90 pitches. He retired 15 of the first 16 batters he faced, and he limited the damage in the sixth inning to one run after allowing three baserunners. Not only was it Chandler's first win of the season, it was also his first quality start and the first time he has completed six frames. He has yielded three earned runs or fewer in each of his first four outings of the season and has a 3.15 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 17:13 K:BB across 20 innings. Chandler is lined up to face the Rangers on the road next week.
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Pirates' Yohan Ramirez: Rocky appearance in loss
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Ramirez allowed one run on one hit and one walk while striking out two in the seventh inning of Thursday's 8-7 extra-inning loss to Washington.
Ramirez was charged with a blown save, allowing the go-ahead run at the time due to a wild pitch to give the Nationals a 7-6 lead. The 30-year-old has appeared in nine games for Pittsburgh, recording a 2.13 ERA in 12.2 innings. The right-hander has posted at least two strikeouts in seven of his nine relief outings, working more than one inning five times and picking up two wins and a hold.
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Pirates' Mike Clevinger: Nursing sprained knee
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Clevinger is expected to be sidelined for around six weeks after being diagnosed with an MCL sprain in his right knee, Jason Mackey of MLB.com reports.
Clevinger will be immobilized for several weeks before resuming workouts. The veteran right-hander has been pitching out of the bullpen at Triple-A Indianapolis, allowing five runs with a 9:5 K:BB across 8.2 innings. He won't be an option for the Pirates until sometime in June, at the earliest.
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Pirates' Dennis Santana: Shuts door for second save
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Santana picked up the save Wednesday against the Nationals, hitting a batter but allowing no other baserunners in a scoreless ninth inning. He did not record a strikeout
After it looked as though left-hander Gregory Soto was Pittsburgh's preferred closer earlier this year, Santana might be taking back over as the club's favorite for saves. The right-hander sports a 1.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP and 6:4 K:BB with two saves over his first nine innings, though he did blow a save Saturday against the Cubs. Soto has four holds to one save chance, whereas Santana has two holds to his three save opportunities.
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Pirates' Mitch Keller: Tagged for five runs in loss
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Keller (1-1) took the loss Monday against the Nationals, allowing five runs on six hits and four walks with three strikeouts across four innings.
Keller had turned in three straight six-inning quality starts to begin the season, so Tuesday was his first hiccup of the 2026 campaign. The Nationals attacked Keller early and often in this one, as the first five batters of the game reached base to push across three runs. CJ Abrams then swatted a solo home run off Keller in the third frame. Keller generated just seven whiffs on 90 pitches and walked four batters for the second time in four starts. The right-hander now owns a 2.86 ERA and 14:9 K:BB across 22 innings. He's slated to face the Rays at home Sunday in his next start.
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Pirates' Mason Montgomery: Missing bats, rounding into form
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Montgomery has earned one win and three holds while posting a 7.11 ERA, 2.05 WHIP and 14:5 K:BB over 6.1 innings in seven appearances for the Pirates this season.
The ratios look ugly, but Montgomery has been better lately, allowing just one run with an 8:1 K:BB over his last four appearances. Acquired from Tampa Bay in the Brandon Lowe trade, Montgomery brings the heat from the left side (98.5 mph average fastball) and his breaking pitches all have whiff rates of 42 percent or higher. With manager Don Kelly keeping roles fluid at the back end of the bullpen, the door is open for Montgomery to eventually pick up some saves for Pittsburgh.
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Dominates against Washington
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Skenes (3-1) earned the win Monday against the Nationals, allowing one run on one hit and one walk while striking out six over six innings.
After beginning the outing with back-to-back punchouts, the 23-year-old surrendered a solo homer to CJ Abrams in the first inning, but was nearly untouchable from that point forward. Skenes retired 16 of the next 17 batters and leaned heavily on his changeup, throwing a career-high 32 of them among his 88 pitches Monday. After a disastrous Opening Day outing in which he failed to escape the first, Skenes has responded emphatically, stringing together three consecutive starts with just one run allowed in each while winning all three. The right-hander looks to have rebounded back to the Cy Young-caliber form fantasy managers have come to expect, lowering his ERA to 4.00 while posting a 0.94 WHIP and 18:7 K:BB across 18 innings.
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Pirates' Jared Jones: Uses full arsenal in live BP
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Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said that Jones (elbow) made use of all of his pitches during his most recent live batting practice session April 6, MLB.com reports.
Jones has been conducting his rehab from UCL surgery at the Pirates' facility in Florida, but he has returned to Pittsburgh this week and is scheduled to throw a side session in front of the coaching and medical staffs Tuesday, per Chris Halicke of DKPittsburghSports.com. The Pirates haven't revealed a timeline for when Jones might be cleared for a minor-league rehab assignment, but he could be ready to take that step soon since he's been able to face hitters in live BP for nearly two months. Jones won't be eligible for activation from the 60-day injured list until late May and will likely need close to the entire 30-day window to build up his pitch count during his rehab assignment.
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Pirates' Hunter Barco: Optioned to Indianapolis
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The Pirates optioned Barco to Triple-A Indianapolis on Monday, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Barco cracked the Opening Day roster as a long reliever, but he was used sparingly and didn't pitch well on those occasions, allowing seven runs (five earned) with a 5:7 K:BB over seven innings of work. The southpaw will likely join the rotation at Indianapolis, where he can get stretched back out and wait for another opportunity in the majors.
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Pirates' Bubba Chandler: Strikes out four over 5.1 innings
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Chandler didn't factor into the decision Sunday against the Cubs, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts across 5.1 innings.
Chandler struck out Seiya Suzuki to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning, and his afternoon was done at 91 pitches. Hunter Barco closed out the sixth, and Chandler was in line for the win before the bullpen imploded late. Chandler's stuff was electric Sunday, but he was hurt by the long ball on a day the wind was gusting out to center field. Chandler served up a pair of solo shots to Dansby Swanson and Moises Ballesteros in the third inning. Chandler is still looking for his first win of the season and now owns a 3.86 ERA and 14:12 K:BB across 14 innings. Command has obviously been a problem. Chandler is in line to face the Rays at home Friday.
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Pirates' Dennis Santana: Blows first save of season
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Santana gave up one run on one hit and two walks in the ninth inning Saturday, blowing his first save of the season in a 4-3 extra-innings win over the Cubs. He failed to strike out a batter.
One game after picking up his first save of 2026 on Friday, Santana took a step back, getting only 15 of 27 pitches into the strike zone as he gave up his first run of the year in his eighth appearance. Santana still sports a 1.13 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and 6:4 K:BB through eight innings, compared to Gregory Soto's 1.04 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and 13:5 K:BB through 8.2 innings, and the duo seem likely to continue splitting closing opportunities depending on matchups.
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Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft: Fans nine in no-decision
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Ashcraft didn't factor into the decision in Saturday's 4-3 extra-innings win over the Cubs, allowing one run on four hits and a walk over five innings. He struck out nine.
The 26-year-old right-hander was dominant once again, generating 16 swinging strikes on 77 pitches (50 total strikes), and Ashcraft left the mound in line for his second win in three starts before Dennis Santana blew the save in the ninth and sent the game to extras. The nine Ks were a new career high for Ashcraft, just one outing after he'd reset the counter to eight, and through his first 17 innings as a full-time starting pitcher he's posted a 2.12 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 20:5 K:BB. He'll look to keep rolling in his next start, which is set to come at home next week against the Nationals.
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Pirates' Chris Devenski: Removed from Triple-A IL
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Devenski (head) was activated from the 7-day injured list by Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday, Anthony Murphy of DKPittsburghSports.com reports.
Devenski opened the season on the 7-day IL due to a head injury that he sustained in mid-March, when he took a batted ball to the side of his head. He pitched in two rehab games for Single-A Bradenton and has progressed enough in his recovery to pitch in Triple-A. Devenski spent the majority of 2025 in the minors but appeared in 13 regular-season games with the Mets, posting a 2.16 ERA and 0.90 WHIP across 16.2 innings.
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Pirates' Gregory Soto: Works in setup role
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Soto struck out one without allowing a baserunner across one inning of work to earn a hold Tuesday against the Padres.
Soto entered Tuesday's game in the eighth inning with the Pirates holding a one-run advantage. He continued his strong start to the season and has now allowed only one earned run across 7.1 innings. Dennis Santana was likely to work the ninth inning of Tuesday's game before the Pirates scored five runs in the home half of the eighth, eliminating the save opportunity.
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Bounces back with first win
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Skenes (1-1) picked up the win in Wednesday's 8-3 victory over the Reds, allowing one run on three hits and two walks over five innings. He struck out five.
After a stunningly short Opening Day start, Skenes rebounded nicely Wednesday, tossing 51 of 77 pitches for strikes and only allowing a runner to get past first base in the fourth inning. It was an early hook for the right-hander despite the efficient performance, but the Pirates are likely just being cautious with his early season workload. The 23-year-old still has a 9.53 ERA and 6:4 K:BB through 5.2 innings, but those numbers should continue to improve quickly. Skenes is set to take the mound next at home early next week against the Padres.
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Pirates' Gregory Soto: Works ninth in Tuesday's win
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Soto allowed a hit and a walk in a scoreless ninth inning during Tuesday's 8-3 win over the Reds. He struck out one.
The veteran lefty was getting ready to handle a save situation when Oneil Cruz added some insurance with a two-run homer in the top of the ninth. Soto has a 0.00 ERA and 6:2 K:BB through 3.1 innings to begin the season, while presumed closer Dennis Santana -- who worked a scoreless eighth against the bottom of the Reds' order to record his first hold of the year -- also has a 0.00 ERA in four innings, albeit with a less dominant 2:2 K:BB. Neither pitcher has a save yet in 2026, but the scales seem to be tipping in Soto's favor as the top high-leverage option in the Pirates' bullpen.
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Pirates' Dennis Santana: Clean ninth inning
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Santana allowed one walk but no hits across one scoreless inning in Saturday's game against the Rockies.
Santana has pitched in both of Pittsburgh's games to begin 2026, and he has yet to allow an earned run. His usage Saturday was particularly notable, as he entered the game in the ninth inning with the score knotted at 0-0. Manager Don Kelly noted shortly before the new season began that Santana may not get every save chance, though Santana's clearly still a high-leverage arm for the Pirates and should work in plenty of save situations.
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Pirates' Mitch Keller: Goes six scoreless in no-decision
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Keller did not factor into the decision in Saturday's 4-2 extra-innings loss to the Mets, allowing three hits and no walks with three strikeouts over six scoreless innings.
Keller was extremely efficient, needing just 77 pitches to blank the Mets over six innings. It was an encouraging outing for the 29-year-old, who has logged 175-plus frames in each of his past three seasons. He lines up for a home matchup against the Orioles next weekend.
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Pirates' Joe La Sorsa: Reporting to Triple-A Indianapolis
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La Sorsa will remain in the Pittsburgh organization and will accept an assignment to Triple-A Indianapolis after going unclaimed off waivers Wednesday, Ari Alexander of 7 News Boston reports.
La Sorsa, who had attended Pirates camp on a minor-league deal, had an upward-mobility clause in his contract that allowed him to move on from the Pirates if another organization had claimed him off waivers and placed him on its Opening Day roster. However, after finding no suitors on the waiver wire, La Sorsa will stick around with the Pirates and likely serve as a high-leverage arm in the Indianapolis bullpen to begin the season.
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Pirates' Gregory Soto: Could see save chances
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Pirates manager Don Kelly indicated Monday that Soto is in the mix to see save opportunities this season, Jose Negron of DK Pittsburgh Sports reports.
Dennis Santana will enter the season as the favorite to see most of the save chances for Pittsburgh. However, Kelly noted that he could use Santana in leverage spots earlier in games at times, and the skipper also pointed out Soto's closing experience. The left-handed Soto has held lefty bats to a .211/.306/.294 batting line in his career, making him a candidate to see some save chances when the opposition has lefties due up in the ninth inning.
