Esmerlyn Valdez’s breakout run has hit a hard stop.
Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said on his weekly show on 93.7 The Fan that Valdez’s left hamstring injury is season-ending, which means the 22-year-old outfielder will not be back in 2026. Valdez got hurt while running out a ground ball in the sixth inning of Pittsburgh’s 12-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Friday. He pulled up before getting to first base and needed help off the field from the Pirates’ training staff.
That’s a rough ending for a season that had turned Valdez into one of the most encouraging young bats in the organization. He had carved out a real place for himself in Pittsburgh’s plans, and the focus now shifts to getting him healthy for the offseason so he can build on what he did in 2026 next spring.
There was better news on the pitching side. Kirby Yates looks close to making it back to the Pirates’ bullpen before the season is over.
Cherington said Yates could return “sometime this homestand” as he works his way back from a right shoulder impingement that sent him to the injured list on Sept. 3.
Yates threw a bullpen session Monday morning and told Jose Negron of DK Pittsburgh Sports that he’s feeling good. He also said he fully expects to pitch again this season unless something changes over the next few days. The veteran right-hander is eligible to be activated this week.
Since Pittsburgh acquired him from the Los Angeles Angels before the trade deadline, Yates has been effective. He has a 2.19 ERA with a 1.30 WHIP in 12.1 innings over 13 appearances.
The Pirates are also waiting on more information on Braxton Ashcraft, but the early read sounds encouraging. Cherington said Sunday that the club is still gathering details, though it is “very optimistic and confident” about where things are headed.
“There’s no evidence right now of any sort of concerning structural issue in the elbow or shoulder,” Cherington said.
Ashcraft went on the 15-day injured list with right arm discomfort after raising concern following his most recent start. The team is still evaluating him, and a return before the end of the regular season remains uncertain. Even so, Pittsburgh appears to have avoided the worst-case scenario and does not currently believe Ashcraft is dealing with a major arm injury heading into the offseason.
In Other News...
Three Pirates Are Putting Themselves On Thin Ice This Winter
The Pirates are already looking ahead to a winter that figures to be shaped by hard roster decisions, and three players stand out as especially vulnerable as the club maps its path toward 2027. Carmen Mlodzinski, Gregory Soto and Billy Cook each bring a different issue to the table, but the common thread is the same: Pittsburgh needs more dependable production, and the front office has little reason to leave any spot untouched if it helps the team move forward next season.
Mlodzinski has drawn attention for attitude concerns and could become a trade candidate, while Sotos performance and contract situation make a return far from certain. Cook, meanwhile, has not done enough at the plate to lock down his place on the roster, which leaves all three in a precarious position as the Pirates weigh changes with an eye on improving the overall product. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Suddenly Have A Brandon Lowe Problem They Can't Ignore
Brandon Lowe has become one of the more important players on the Pirates roster in 2026, giving the club real value on both sides of the ball. His power has shown up at the plate, his defense has taken a step forward, and those two things together have made him much more than just another productive regular in the middle of the lineup.
The problem for Pittsburgh is that this kind of season tends to put a player in a different market by winter, and Lowe is headed toward the end of his contract with that reality looming over the rest of the year. For a team that needs impact bats and steady run prevention, the challenge is no longer just enjoying what he brings now. It is figuring out how to keep him from reaching free agency with his value peaking. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Could Ease Don Kellys Biggest Challenge With Veteran Dugout Help
Don Kelly stepped into the Pirates managers chair in May 2025 after Derek Shelton was dismissed, and the early read on him has been pretty clear: he brings energy, familiarity and a steady presence to a job that can swallow even experienced baseball people. The Pirates have already shown a willingness to surround him with help, adding former manager Gene Lamont as an advisor in 2025, a move that underscores how much value the club places on having another seasoned voice nearby.
The next layer could be even more interesting. Kellys biggest challenges have centered on the in-game choices that come with managing every night, the kind of decisions where a veteran sounding board can make a real difference. That is why former Pirates manager Clint Hurdle keeps coming up as a possible resource, given what he accomplished in Pittsburgh and the kind of dugout perspective he could offer if the club chooses to lean further into its old hands. [Read more 🡒]