The Latest Breaking News from Oneil Cruz

PITTSBURGH — A few hours before the Phillies' 2-1, 10-inning win over the Pirates on Saturday night, Ranger Suárez played a game of Uno with reliever Seranthony Domínguez and first-base coach Paco Figueroa. Music was blasting in the clubhouse, and Suárez was shuffling the cards and shaking his shoulders to…

PITTSBURGH — The Juan Soto sweepstakes have resonated very little locally for obvious reasons. The star outfielder just turned down a nearly half-billion dollar offer from the Washington Nationals last week. So, in the context of the Pirates' penny-pinching ownership, a sign-and-trade situation in which the club gives him more…

An actual CANNON.

MIAMI — Pablo Lopez, even while inefficient at times, did his job Wednesday. The Miami Marlins’ right-handed pitcher had a no-hitter through four innings and ultimately allowed just one hit and one run over five innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

MIAMI — Daniel Castano has described his cutter as a pitch with which he “lives and dies.” It’s his most-used pitch this season, one the Miami Marlins’ left-handed pitcher had thrown 42.9 percent of the time entering his Tuesday start against the Pittsburgh Pirates after beginning to add it to…

MILWAUKEE — Chi Chi Gonzalez looked down at the ground, shook his head out of frustration, and the Brewers reliever mouthed a couple words that … well, weren’t exactly family friendly. Another Pirates home run had sailed over the fence, this one a three-run shot from former Brewer Daniel Vogelbach,…

MILWAUKEE — Ben Gamel rounded second base, pointed toward the Pirates dugout and pumped his left fist and arm in celebration, the emotion flowing through the Pirates outfielder glaringly obvious on Saturday at American Family Field.

PITTSBURGH — When the Pirates have traded away veterans over the years, whoever it may have been, they did so understanding that their returns in those trades wouldn’t show up until much later.

The Pirates are almost halfway done with their season. That unofficially important mark will come Wednesday, when they wrap up a two-game set against the best team in baseball, the New York Yankees.