Pittsburgh Pirates DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Luis L. Ortiz pitched 6 scoreless innings in a 4-2 win over the Twins on Wednesday. He struck out five while allowing three hits and two walks. This was his best start of the season so far, as he came into the outing with an inflated 5.96 ERA, which he lowered to 4.78 after this start. Ortiz certainly isn't the most stable pitcher, but one promising aspect of his skillset is his 30.9% whiff rate, which ranks in the 80th percentile. If he can continue to miss bats while limiting hard contact, he could become more fantasy relevant down the line, but for now, he's a streaming option at best.

The Pittsburgh Pirates placed right-hander Dennis Santana on the bereavement list on Tuesday, according to manager Derek Shelton. Right-handed reliever Hunter Stratton took Santana's spot on the active MLB roster. Santana will be away from the team for a few days but could be back and available to work in relief for Friday's series opener at PNC Park against the visiting San Diego Padres. While Santana is away from the Bucs for a few days, right-hander David Bednar should see any save chances that arise. Santana has been sharp so far in 2025 in his 13 relief appearances for the Pirates, allowing only three runs (two earned) on eight hits while walking three and striking out seven with three saves in 12 1/3 innings pitched. He should be back with the club at some point this weekend.

Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitcher Jared Jones (elbow) has begun a throwing progression. This is a great sign for the 23-year-old, as he has been shut down since March due to a UCL sprain in his right elbow. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progress as he gradually increases his workload. However, given the extent of his injury, fantasy managers should not expect Jones to return to the mound for several months, given the time he missed. Last season, the right-hander made his MLB debut and flashed solid upside as he struck out 132 batters across his first 121 1/3 innings. During this stint, he held a 4.14 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP. Under the hood, Jones generated an elite 30.2 percent whiff rate with a solid .234 xBA. Fantasy managers in deeper formats should continue to stash Jones on their injured reserve as he should carry some upside when he does return to the majors.

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Matt Gorski will make his second career start Tuesday, manning first base and hitting sixth in the team's matchup with the Cubs. The former second-round draft pick debuted on April 24, hitting a solo home run for his first career hit. The 6-foot-2 slugger offers a little pop and speed, hitting 23 home runs and stealing 15 bases in 113 games at Triple-A last year. He'll have a tough test against lefty Shota Imanaga on Tuesday, but he could be a cheap DFS dart throw in hopes he hits another home run. Enmanuel Valdez will take a seat after starting the last three games at first base for the Pirates.

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen went 4-for-4 with a home run in Sunday's 9-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was his third homer of the season, and the veteran added three singles for his fourth multi-hit performance of the year. McCutchen has been hitting well in recent days, notching at least one hit in six of seven games with four extra-base hits (two doubles, two home runs) during the stretch. The 38-year-old is having a bit of a resurgent season thus far, slashing .276/.368/.447, with increased quality of contact and a palatable 17.2% strikeout rate after a career-high in that statistic a season ago (25.8%). Moreover, McCutchen is registering a hard-hit ball 49.2% of the time with an average exit velocity of 91.2 MPH. Both figures would be career-bests if they hold.