MLB Player News

Pallante (4-3) took the loss Wednesday against the Tigers, allowing three runs on four hits and four walks across 5.2 innings. He struck out three.

After going 14.1 innings without allowing a walk in his previous two starts, Pallante issued four free passes Wednesday, matching a season high. Through 10 starts (56 innings) this year, the right-hander has pitched to a 4.18 ERA with a 1.34 WHIP and 35:20 K:BB. Pallante is currently lined up to face the Orioles on the road in his next outing.

The Pirates announced that Jones underwent successful surgery Wednesday to repair the UCL in his right elbow. Jones is projected to return to full competition in 10-to-12 months.

Jones will miss the rest of the season, but the positive news is that his elbow procedure wasn't a standard Tommy John surgery, which would have carried a lengthier recovery timeline. The projected 10-to-12-month recovery window from surgery still likely means that Jones will open the 2026 season on the injured list, though an April or May return to the Pittsburgh rotation could be in the cards if he experiences no snags in the recovery process. Jones should be ready to begin a throwing program by the winter, and a firmer target date for his 2026 debut will likely come into focus during spring training.

Sykora threw three perfect innings for Single-A Fredericksburg on Tuesday while striking out five.

The 21-year-old righty had a delayed start to the season as he recovered from offseason hip surgery, but Sykora has been dominant since being cleared to get back on the mound. After two appearances in the Florida Complex League in which he compiled a 14:1 K:BB through only five innings, Sykora got bumped up to Single-A and has kept rolling, producing a 0.00 ERA and 9:2 K:BB in six innings over two starts. His workload is still being monitored -- he threw only 42 pitches (29 strikes) Tuesday -- but another promotion to High-A could come quickly given the lack of a challenge Carolina League hitters are presenting him.

Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said that Jones will undergo season-ending surgery Wednesday on his right elbow, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Tomczyk didn't indicate whether the upcoming procedure will be Tommy John surgery, an internal brace surgery or another kind of surgery, so Jones' status for the 2026 season won't be immediately known until more details are provided. Even if the 23-year-old righty doesn't need to miss much time to begin the 2026 season, he could struggle to immediately regain his pre-surgery velocity and command, making him a risky investment in fantasy leagues.

The Pirates optioned Mlodzinski to Triple-A Indianapolis on Wednesday.

As expected, Mlodzinski will head back to the minors while the Pirates open up a spot in the rotation for right-hander Mike Burrows, who was called up from Triple-A in advance of his first MLB start Thursday versus the Brewers. After winning a spot in the Opening Day rotation coming out of spring training, Mlodzinski struggled over his nine starts, going 1-4 with a 5.67 ERA, 1.61 WHIP and 28:12 K:BB in 39.2 innings. He might stay stretched out as a member of the Indianapolis rotation, but Mlodzinski could be ticketed for the bullpen the next time he receives a call-up to Pittsburgh.

The Pirates recalled Burrows from Triple-A Indianapolis on Wednesday.

Pittsburgh had been expected to wait until Thursday to make Burrows' promotion official, but he'll join the big club a day in advance of his first MLB start Thursday against the Brewers at PNC Park. He'll be joining the rotation as a replacement for righty Carmen Mlodzinski, who was optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding move. The 25-year-old righty has been a standout performer at Indianapolis this season, logging a 2.40 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 39:9 K:BB across 30 innings.

Triple-A Indianapolis placed Barco on its 7-day injured list Sunday due to an unspecified injury.

Barco sustained the injury at some point during his most recent start for Indianapolis last Thursday, when he was lifted midway through the first inning after allowing two earned runs on one hit and three walks. The 24-year-old lefty had enjoyed a strong start to the season prior to that outing, producing a 0.30 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and 39:10 K:BB across 30 innings over his seven starts between Indianapolis and Double-A Altoona.

The Pirates are expected to option Mlodzinski to Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

After working primarily in relief over his first two seasons in the big leagues, Mlodzinski surprisingly emerged from spring training as a member of the Pirates' Opening Day rotation, but he always appeared to be little more than a placeholder until one of Pittsburgh's many starting pitching prospects was deemed big-league ready. Right-hander Mike Burrows is in line to get a call-up from Triple-A and will enter the rotation Thursday against the Brewers in place of Mlodzinski, who covered five innings in just three of his nine starts on the season while submitting a 5.67 ERA, 1.61 WHIP and 8.9 K-BB%. He'll presumably stay stretched out as a member of the rotation at Indianapolis, though Mlodzinski could work out of the bullpen the next time he gets the call back to the big club.

The Pirates plan to recall Burrows from Triple-A Indianapolis to start Thursday's game against the Brewers at PNC Park, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

Burrows will be joining the big-league rotation as a replacement for Carmen Mlodzinski, who is expected to be optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding move. Though he's been part of a prospect-laden rotation at Indianapolis that includes Bubba Chandler, Thomas Harrington and Braxton Ashcraft, Burrows has been as impressive as any of the lot this season. Over his seven outings (six starts), Burrows has delivered a 2.40 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 39:9 K:BB in 30 innings. He'll have a chance to build some security in the Pittsburgh rotation if he's able to deliver a credible outing against the Brewers in what will be his first MLB start.

The Reds optioned Petty to Triple-A Louisville on Wednesday.

After Cincinnati chose to bypass Petty for a start last Saturday against the Guardians and instead opted for a bullpen day when the fifth spot in the rotation came up, the writing was on the wall for the 22-year-old righty to head back to the minors. He's been roughed up in both of his two starts for the Reds this season, covering 5.1 innings while coughing up 13 earned runs on 13 hits and eight walks.