Joey Bart settling in with Pirates ahead of series finale vs. O’s
Joey Bart is off to a fantastic start with the Pirates, and the power-hitting catcher hopes to further impress his new bosses when Pittsburgh hosts the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday afternoon for the rubber match of a three-game series. Bart slammed a two-run homer on Saturday in his first at-bat since he was acquired from the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday. His long ball helped the Pirates to an early 3-0 lead, and they eventually won 5-4 in 11 innings to even the three-game series.
The Giants selected Bart in the first round (second overall) of the 2018 MLB Draft with the hopes that he’d eventually take over for Buster Posey, but Bart didn’t develop to the satisfaction of the organization, and he was designated for assignment last Sunday. Playing in front of numerous family members, including his mother who grew up in nearby Toronto, Ohio, Bart also doubled off the wall in his debut with the Pirates. “It’s a lot of fun to be out here,” Bart said. “A beautiful place and looking forward to keeping it going.”
Pittsburgh plans to send left-hander Marco Gonzales (0-0, 1.80 ERA) to the mound for the series finale. In his first major league appearance since May 28, 2023 because of a nagging forearm injury that eventually required surgery, Gonzales allowed one run and four hits in five-plus innings of an 8-4 win against the Washington Nationals last Monday. He left with a 3-1 lead, but the Nationals tied the score in the seventh against the bullpen, denying him the victory. “It’s not just showing up and pitching,” Gonzales said. “It’s months
and months and months of rehab and a procedure to clean up my forearm, and then a lot of time in the weight room and throwing this offseason to get here. I’m very, very grateful and looking forward to keeping this going.” Gonzales is 1-1 with a 5.95 ERA in four career starts against the Orioles. Baltimore will counter with right-hander Dean Kremer (0-0, 5.06).
