Pirates News: Pitching roster shuffle, Paul Skenes history, Billy Cook offseason plan

The Pittsburgh Pirates brought back a rookie bullpen arm this weekend, recalling right-hander Cam Sanders from Triple-A Indianapolis as they placed Yohan Ramírez on the Major League Paternity Leave list.

Ramírez is set to miss three games and will likely return to the Pirates ahead of their series finale against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday. He last pitched for Pittsburgh on Sept. 7, when he gave up one run on two hits while striking out two in one inning against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Sanders, a 28-year-old rookie, is now back for his third stint with the Pirates this year. He was one of the two additions the club made to its MLB roster as part of the September call-ups at the beginning of the month, but he didn't make it into a game before being sent back to Indianapolis on Sept. 5. That demotion corresponded with Kyle Nicolas being activated off of the Major League Bereavement/Family Emergency List.

Through five innings in five appearances for the Pirates this season, Sanders has a 9.00 ERA. He joins a bullpen consisting of fellow right-handers Carmen Mlodzinski, Isaac Mattson, Dauri Moreta, Dennis Santana and Nicolas, plus left-hander Evan Sisk.

Pirates News: Paul Skenes makes MLB history (again)

Paul Skenes continues to set new standards for excellence every time he takes the mound, and he did it again with his most recent start last week against the Baltimore Orioles.

Although the Pirates lost the game in the 10th inning, Skenes was excellent through five scoreless frames, allowing just two hits and striking out eight in a no-decision. The outing dropped his career ERA to 1.94, which is the lowest through the first 53 starts for any pitcher in the live-ball era (since 1920), according to Sarah Langs of MLB.com.

Skebnes is now the only pitcher in MLB history to post two seasons with a sub-2.00 ERA, average more than 10.00 K/9 and start the All-Star Game, according to OptaSTATS.

Pirates News: Billy Cook to play winter ball in Mexico

Pirates outfield prospect Billy Cook has made plans to play winter ball in Mexico, as the Mexican Pacific League's Yaquis de Oberegón announced on social media that he would be joining their roster for the 2025-26 season.

Cook has spent most of his time at Triple-A Indianapolis this season, slashing .248/.323/.384 through 94 games. He briefly joined the Pirates in June when Bryan Reynolds went on the Major League Paternity Leave List and recorded a pair of hits in six at-bats with a run scored and a strikeout.

At Indianapolis this season, Cook has made 35 starts in center field, 18 starts at first base, 17 starts in left field, 12 starts in right field and six at designated hitter. He hasn't played since the beginning of August, when he went on the IL with a hand injury.

The Mexican Pacific League begins play on Oct. 14, with a 68-game season that culminates at the end of December. Hopefully, the extra playing time will help get Cook back on track for a strong 2026 season with the Pirates.