Pirates News: Paul Skenes MLB The Show, Johan Oviedo hearing, Francisco Cervelli

Paul Skenes: MLB All-Star. National League Rookie of the Year. Cy Young Award finalist. Cover model.

One day after the Pittsburgh Pirates ace teased that he'd be on the cover for MLB The Show 25, the news is now official. Skenes will be one of three young stars to be on the cover for MLB The Show 25, joining Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson and Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz.

Skenes is the first Pirates player to be on the cover since Andrew McCutchen, who was the solo cover athlete for MLB The Show 13 more than a decade ago.

The game can be pre-ordered on Feb. 4 and becomes available on March 18.

Pirates pitcher Johan Oviedo completes first MLB arbitration hearing of 2025

Right-handed starter Johan Oviedo and the Pirates came together Tuesday for the first of 12 arbitration hearings set to take place across Major League Baseball in the coming weeks. Oviedo, who missed the entire 2024 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, is arbitration eligible for the first time in his career.

Oviedo, who turns 27 in March, was tendered a contract worth $850,000 in November, but he is requesting a raise from his previous amount of $765,000 to $1.15 million. According to a report from the Associated Press, a decision on Oviedo's arbitration case is expected Wednesday.

Pittsburgh also has an impending arbitration hearing with right-handed reliever Dennis Santana, who is asking for $2.1 million after the club tendered him $1.4 million. That hearing will be completed sometime before Feb. 14.

Former Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli named Italy national team manager

Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball (FIBS) announced last week that former Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli has been appointed as the new national team manager, taking over for Mike Piazza. Cervelli, who was born in Venezuela to an Italian immigrant father and a Venezuelan mother, previously played twice for the Italy National Team in the World Baseball Classic in 2009 and 2017.

Originally signed by the New York Yankees as an international free agent out of Venezuela, Cervelli was traded to the Pirates in 2014 for left-handed pitcher Justin Wilson. He took over as the Pirates' starting catcher for the during the 2015 season, helping to lead the team to 98 wins and a National League Wild Card berth.

Cervelli played in 450 games for the Pirates during his five seasons with the team, slashing .264/.362/.374 with 392 hits, 62 doubles, 11 triples, 26 home runs, 169 RBI and 194 walks to 346 strikeouts. He led all Major League catchers with a .376 OBP in 2018, the same year he set career highs in home runs, RBI, OPS and extra-base hits. He retired after the 2020 season, which he spent with the Miami Marlins.

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