The Latest Breaking News from Diego Castillo

SEATTLE — Burned by injuries the last time the World Baseball Classic was played, the Mariners were understandably reluctant to let their staff ace pitch in the event this year.

CINCINNATI — A Bryse Wilson start defined by home runs certainly qualifies as a plausible premise, especially at Great American Ball Park. But the twist Monday against the Reds was that Wilson got to watch a couple balls sail over the fence and smile, instead of growing frustrated.

MILWAUKEE — Just when it seemed like the Pirates had life — and a hit — in a key situation, it was gone. And so was the game.

CINCINNATI — At every stop throughout his major league career, Roansy Contreras has been known for his ability to respond. Within an inning or even sometimes at-bats, the 22-year-old is unusually mature when it comes to making adjustments and learning lessons faster than his peers. It’s one of the many…

PITTSBURGH — Bryse Wilson still faces a climb ahead of him to prove he can be a capable MLB starting pitcher, but Saturday was a step in the right direction.

WASHINGTON — This road trip has been nothing short of brutal for the Pirates. A 10-inning loss at Tropicana Field on Friday. Then blowing a 5-3 lead and watching the Tampa Bay Rays walk it off against David Bednar a day later.

PITTSBURGH — On Monday and Tuesday, Oneil Cruz and Bligh Madris took turns achieving things not seen from a Pirate in decades. First with a hit, RBI and stolen base in their first game; hardest thrown ball on the infield in the Statcast era; first player with seven RBIs in…

SEATTLE — Even if they were somehow able to keep Mike Trout from hitting another home run against them, the Seattle Mariners have still allowed him to almost single-handedly win the five-game series.

PITTSBURGH — The Giants’ 7-5 win here Saturday afternoon, securing their first series win against the Pirates since 2017, was the definition of a team effort.