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This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

Defector

<p>Staff Writer</p>
<p>Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19</p>


Chris Thompson

Paul Skenes Is Stuck Being A Guy While The Pirates Require A Dude

Lauren Theisen

Dennis Santana #60 of the Pittsburgh Pirates is restrained by teammates Rafael Flores Jr. #43 and Ryan O'Hearn #29 of the Pittsburgh Pirates as Austin Wells #28 of the New York Yankees moves in during an altercation after the eighth inning at Yankee Stadium

Dennis Santana To José Caballero: Look Deep Into My Eyes Or I Will Kick Your Ass

Kelsey McKinney

Oneil Cruz swings, the ball touching his bat on the sweet spot just in front of home plate.

Bonk! This Ball Went Somewhere New!

Kathryn Xu

Konnor Griffin #75 of the Pittsburgh Pirates warms up prior to a spring training game.

Is Konnor Griffin Actually 19 Years Old? Let’s Discuss

<p><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif">Marc Normandin currently writes on baseball’s labor issues and more at </span><a style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif" href="http://marcnormandin.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://marcnormandin.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1758998321491000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1ZpjG5RUFwdpapWqR1u4bd">marcnormandin.com</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif">, which you can read for free but support </span><a style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif" href="https://www.patreon.com/marcnormandin">through his Patreon</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif">. His baseball writing has appeared at FOX Sports, SB Nation, Defector, Global Sport Matters, Deadspin, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Sports on Earth, The Guardian, The Nation, FAIR, and TalkPoverty, and you can read his takes on video games at Retro XP and Endless Mode.</span></p>
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Marc Normandin

ob Nutting of the Pittsburgh Pirates talks with Adam Frazier #26 before the game against the New York Yankees during the home opener at PNC Park on April 4, 2025. He's got weird little sunglasses on. He looks like he's in a disguise somehow.

Why MLB’s Cheapest Teams Are At Least Trying To Seem Like They’re Trying

<p>Keith Paradise is a freelance writer who somehow won a Keystone Press Award during his<br />
decade spent as a newspaper reporter in Pennsylvania, where he covered sports, education, and<br />
the murder of a neighborhood turkey. Originally from Pittsburgh, he is a senior writer for<br />
Billiards Digest magazine and his name has appeared twice in the notable section of The Year’s<br />
Best Sports Writing anthology—including in 2024 for his Defector article on the rise and fall of<br />
sports clothing icon Starter.</p>


Keith Paradise

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 4: A general overall interior view of PNC Park in the fourth inning during a game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Los Angeles Dodgers at PNC Park on September 4, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)

Why Are There Still Pirates Fans?

John Saward

Outfielder Dave Parker #39 of the Pittsburgh Pirates swings and watches the flight of his ball against the Chicago Cubs during a circa 1970's Major League Baseball game at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. Parker played for the Pirates from 1973-83.

Dave Parker’s Great Bounty

Tom Ley

Richard Lovelady #57 of the New York Mets steps off the mound as Bryan Reynolds #10 of the Pittsburgh Pirates rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning during the game at PNC Park on June 29, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Players-Only Meeting, Return Of Dicky Lovelady Not Enough To Turn Mets’ Fortunes Around

Jacob Misiorowski throws a pitch against the Pirates.

Mighty Brewers Lad Out-Duels Paul Skenes

Maitreyi Anantharaman

The grounds crew covers the field with a tarp during a thunderstorm in the bottom of the ninth inning of game two of a doubleheader that is tied at 4-4 between the Detroit Tigers and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park on June 19, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.

Take Me Out Of The Ballpark

Paul Skenes reacts after giving up a home run in the seventh inning against the Houston Astros

Having Paul Skenes On Your Team Should Not Be Such A Bummer

Ray Ratto

Oneil Cruz #15 of the Pittsburgh Pirates celebrates with teammates after scoring during the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park on May 22, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Pirates Avoid Historic Humiliation, Suffer Regular Kind Instead

Pittsburgh Pirates owner Bob Nutting speaks during the 2024 Pirates Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony before the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park on August 24, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is kind of shrugging and looks like he is wearing a disguise somehow.

Are The Pittsburgh Pirates Really In Dire Straits?

Luis Paez-Pumar

Kyle Stowers #28 of the Miami Marlins receives a gatorade bath after hitting a walk off single to defeat Pittsburgh Pirates on their Opening Day game at loanDepot park on March 27, 2025 in Miami, Florida.

The Marlins Walk It Off, Again And Again And Again

Go Ahead And Assume The Worst About The Pittsburgh Pirates

A Troubleshooting Paul Skenes Is Somehow Even More Frightening

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 11: Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws a pitch in the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on July 11, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

Save Paul Skenes’s Arm, For The All-Star Game

Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches to Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers at PNC Park on June 5, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Shohei Ohtani And Paul Skenes Had A Splendid Introduction

Absolute Skenes

Maybe Paul Skenes Can Pitch In Relief Too?

Please Give Us Paul Skenes Now, Before His Elbow Kerplodes

Andrew McCutchen singles for his 2000th career hit

The Pirates Have Youth, Nostalgia, And The NL Central On Their Side

PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 23: Jack Suwinski #65, Ji Hwan Bae #3 and Connor Joe #2 of the Pittsburgh Pirates celebrate after a 2-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park on April 23, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)