Pirates News: Former pitcher announces retirement, Oneil Cruz Statcast honor, strange injury

Cruz outdid himself... again.
Pittsburgh Pirates v. Atlanta Braves
Pittsburgh Pirates v. Atlanta Braves | Cole Carter/GettyImages

Former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Andrew Heaney called it a career this weekend, announcing his retirement on social media after 12 MLB seasons. The 34-year-old southpaw won his second World Series title with the Los Angeles Dodgers after they picked him up following his release from Pittsburgh in August.

The Pirates signed Heaney to a one-year deal ahead of the 2025 season, and the veteran lefty finished his brief stint in Pittsburgh with a 5-10 record, 5.39 ERA and 1.363 WHIP. His time with the Pirates ended rather unceremoniously, as he lost his rotation spot before ultimately being released and picked up by the Dodgers.

Heaney finishes his MLB career with a 56-72 record, 1156 strikeouts, an ERA of 4.57 and a WHIP of 1.277. In his Instagram post, he thanked everyone who supported him throughout his career and vowed to “give back more than I received.”

Pirates News: Oneil Cruz earns MLB Statcast superlative for hardest-hit ball in 2025

Just when you thought he couldn't possibly set another Statcast record, Oneil Cruz outdid himself... again.

Cruz fielder took the crown for the hardest-hit ball of the 2025 MLB season with a 122.9 mph home run against the Milwaukee Brewers on May 25. In doing so, he set a new Statcast era record for the hardest-hit homer and broke the previous hardest-hit ball record set by... well, himself.

The Pirates' slugging center fielder now owns the two hardest-hit balls ever tracked (dating back to 2015), including a 122.4 mph single on Aug. 24, 2022.

Pirates News: Nick Gonzales earns dubious distinction for bizarre injury in 2025

Pirates second baseman Nick Gonzales also made headlines this week –– but not the good kind. In his year-end ranking of the "weirdest injuries" of the 2025 MLB season, Jayson Stark of The Athletic (subscription required) awarded Gonzales second prize for his calamitous home run trot on Opening Day against the Miami Marlins.

What should have been a highlight –– Pittsburgh's first home run of the 2025 season –– ended up being Gonzales' last major league at-bat for nearly three months. The former first-round pick, who had fouled two balls off his left ankle in a spring training game the week before, ended up suffering a non-displaced fracture in the same ankle as he rounded the bases at loanDepot Park.

 "No wonder Pittsburgh finished last in the major leagues in home runs," Stark quipped. "They’re dangerous!"

Well played, Jayson –– but too soon.

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