The Pirates dropped their second straight Grapefruit League game to start the exhibition schedule. The Orioles broke a 0-0 tie with a hit-and-an-error run in the seventh inning, then added another run in the ninth for a 2-0 win. Both of the O’s runs were unearned. The Pirates managed only three hits, by Connor Joe, Gilberto Celestino, and Nick Gonzalez.
Mitch Keller threw two innings of one-hit baseball, walking two and striking out two.
The Bucs will play the Blue Jays in Dunedin today, with Roansy Contreras making his spring debut on the mound.
JOSE DeLEON
Former Pirates pitcher Jose DeLeon passed away yesterday at the age of 63, following a long battle with cancer. The Bucs’ third round draft pick in 1979, he was 7-3 for the Pirates in his rookie year in 1983.
DeLeon played thirteen seasons in MLB. After three seasons in Pittsburgh, he was traded to the White Sox for Bobby Bonilla. He led MLB in strikeouts while pitching for the Cardinals in 1989. He also played for the Phillies and Expos before retiring in 1995. DeLeon was 86-119 with a 3.76 ERA in 415 Major league games.
MLB
The Cubs have signed free agent Cody Bellinger to a three-year, $80 million contract, bringing back the center fielder who hit .307 with 26 home runs and 97 RBIs for them last season.
With Bellinger re-enlisting with the Cubs, the biggest free agents still available are Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and fellow pitcher Jordan Montgomery.
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