Pirates News - Spring training notebook: Johnson's big day, Suwinski, and more

Pirate batters hit the ball hard in a loss, Roansy Contreras flashes improved fastball velocity, and more notes from around baseball in today's Spring Training notebook

The Pittsburgh Pirates third game of spring training in 2024 didn't result in a Buccos win but it will be one that Pirates fans will remember fondly for the performance of 19-year-old second baseman Termarr Johnson.

In the Pirates 8-4 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday afternoon, Johnson was 2-for-2 in the game with a pair of home runs while driving in three. Both of the 19-year-old's home runs were demolished into right field and even more impressively, both came off established major league relievers in Yimi Garcia and Genesis Cabrera.

It was also a game in which right handed starter Roansy Conteras flashed some quality velocity with his fastball sitting around 95.2 mph for the afternoon while topping out at 96.2 mph. You can read more about Monday afternoon's loss to the Blue Jays, here.

The Pirates now 0-3 on the season, will look to pick up their first win of the spring on Tuesday afternoon as they host the Atlanta Braves in Bradenton. Offseason pickup Marco Gonzales will make his spring training debut for the Buccos while Chris Sale will make his Braves debut. Sale was traded to the Braves this offseason after spending the last handful of seasons in Boston with the Red Sox. 

With it being an away game, the Braves will likely send a lighter lineup than what should be expected most of this season. It might even be weaker than expected as well since the Braves did start what will likely be their opening day lineup on Monday.  The game will not be televised but can be listened to on 100.1 FM/KDKA-AM 1020.