Pirates bullpen makes deal, hands over signed bat in swap for rookie outfielder’s first HR ball
Pittsburgh rookie Esmerlyn Valdez hit his first career home run Sunday in Toronto
USPS LOCATIONS NATIONWIDE STARTING JUNE 1ST. RIGHT NOW, AS YOU GET UP AND GET GOING, IF YOU DO HAVE TO GET UP EARLY THIS MORNING, YOU WILL ENCOUNTER SOME AREAS OF PATCHY, DENSE FOG. BUT IF YOU’RE HEADING TO ANY OF THE PARADES TODAY OR ANY REMEMBRANCE SERVICES IS GOING TO BE REALLY NICE, WE’LL HAVE SOME DECREASING CLOUDS. STRAY SHOWERS SOUTH CAN’T BE RULED OUT TOMORROW, ESPECIALLY LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING, THEN RAIN RETURNING ON WEDNESDAY, ESPECIALLY SOUTH. BUT IT DOES HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PICK UP EVEN UP ALONG 422. SO SOMETHING WE’LL BE MONITORING A POTENTIAL UPGRADE TO AN IMPACT DAY AS WE FINE TUNE THE FORECAST. RIGHT NOW THOUGH, WE ARE DEALING WITH GLOOMY CONDITIONS. THE CLOUDS ARE AROUND AND YOU CAN SEE AS THE CAMERA POINTS EASTWARD, STILL A LITTLE BIT OF PATCHY FOG HOLDING ON, BUT IT IS IMPROVING NOW. GREENSBURG UP TO A TEN MILE VISIBILITY. SO THAT’S REALLY GOOD NEWS. DENSE FOG STILL LINGERING IN THE LAWRENCE BEAVER, ALSO UP INTO MERCER, VENANGO AND CLARION COUNTY. SOME OF THE HARDER HIT AREAS YESTERDAY WITH A LOT OF RAIN. EVEN GARRETT COUNTY HAS SOME PRETTY DENSE FOG THIS MORNING. WE ARE STILL SEEING A FEW SHOWERS, MAINLY EAST INTO CAMBRIA, SOMERSET, EVEN INTO GARRETT. EASTERN PORTIONS OF WESTMORELAND AND FAYETTE COUNTY. BUT THAT’S GOING TO CONTINUE TO DWINDLE DOWN AND MOVE ON OUT OF THE AREA. TEMPERATURES ARE PRETTY NICE AS YOU HEAD OUT. EVEN THE HUMIDITY IS UP A TAD. 63 RIGHT NOW IN PITTSBURGH AND MONROEVILLE, 64 AS YOU WAKE UP IN GREENSBURG, 59 IN FRANKLIN, 63 RIGHT NOW IN BEAVER AND WASHINGTON. WAKING UP AT 64 THIS MORNING. AS WE LOOK AT YOUR FOUR DAY FORECAST IN YOUR MEMORIAL DAY FORECAST, AGAIN, REALLY SHAPING UP TO BE A NICE AFTERNOON, EVEN THIS MORNING. NOT BAD WITH THE FOG AND CLOUD COVER, BUT WE WILL WATCH THESE CLOUDS DECREASE AND WE’LL WATCH OUR TEMPERATURES JUMP UP INTO THE UPPER 70S. SO REALLY GOING TO SHAPE UP TO BE A PRETTY NICE AFTERNOON. WE’LL BE FINE TUNING WEDNESDAY RIGHT NOW. SOME SCATTERED SHOWERS, ESPECIALLY SOUTH AS WE SHOW YOU HERE ON FUTURECAST. IT IS PICKING UP SOME OF THAT RAIN, TRYING TO NUDGE A LITTLE FURTHER NORTHWARD. AS WE CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY. TODAY, WE WATCH THOSE CLOUDS MOVE ON OUT INTO THE OVERNIGHT. WE’LL HAVE PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES. SOME CLOUDS WILL START TO THICKEN UP THROUGH THE DAY ON TUESDAY. AGAIN, CAN’T RULE OUT A SPOTTY SHOWER. IF ANYTHING, A SPRINKLE OR TWO, ESPECIALLY ALONG INTERSTATE 70 ON SOUTH BETWEEN 4 AND 6:00, AND COULD EVEN HIT THE CITY OF WASHINGTON. THAT ROLLS ON OUT. WE’LL SEE OUR FIRST LITTLE WAVE OF RAIN COMING IN IN THE MORNING. AND AGAIN, IF THIS HOLDS, WE WILL UPGRADE THIS TO AN IMPACT DAY. JILL IS HERE AT NOON, SO SHE’LL BE WATCHING THIS AS WELL. AROUND 2:00. WE’LL STILL HAVE SOME SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ANOTHER LITTLE BATCH OF SOME HEAVY RAIN HITTING INTO WASHINGTON, WESTMORELAND, GREENE AND FAYETTE COUNTY. AS WE GET INTO THE EARLY EVENING. AND AGAIN, THAT ROLLS ON OUT. BY THE TIME WE GET INTO THURSDAY, THINGS WILL QUIET DOWN FOR US AND WE ARE GOING TO DRY OUT NOT ONLY ON THURSDAY, BUT ALSO INTO FRIDAY AND RIGHT NOW INTO THE UPCOMING WEEKEND LOOKS GREAT FOR US. TEMPERATURES WILL BE PRETTY SEASONAL INTO THE WEEKEND. IN THE MID 70S
By IAN HARRISON Associated Press
What’s the cost of a milestone home run ball? In this case, one signed bat from the rookie who hit the blast, and one official cap.After Pittsburgh Pirates rookie outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez hit his first career home run in Sunday’s 4-1 win at Toronto, his teammates in the bullpen went to work to get the ball back for him.Looking for more news in your area | Subscribe to the WTAE YouTube ChannelValdez was promoted from Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday and had gone 0 for 7 with five strikeouts before his two-run blast off Chase Lee in the sixth inning. The 345-foot drive landed in a standing-room section beyond the right field wall, where a fence separates fans from the visitor’s bullpen. The ball ended up in the hands of a young fan, who was soon in negotiations with Pirates reliever Justin Lawrence. As talks progressed, the Pirates righty used hand signals to request a signed bat from the dugout. Valdez signed a bat and reliever Dennis Santana brought it out to the bullpen, then leaned around the fence to make the exchange.Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.
TORONTO (AP) —
What’s the cost of a milestone home run ball? In this case, one signed bat from the rookie who hit the blast, and one official cap.
After Pittsburgh Pirates rookie outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez hit his first career home run in Sunday’s 4-1 win at Toronto, his teammates in the bullpen went to work to get the ball back for him.
Looking for more news in your area | Subscribe to the WTAE YouTube Channel
Valdez was promoted from Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday and had gone 0 for 7 with five strikeouts before his two-run blast off Chase Lee in the sixth inning. The 345-foot drive landed in a standing-room section beyond the right field wall, where a fence separates fans from the visitor’s bullpen.
Mark Blinch/Getty Images
TORONTO, CANADA – MAY 24: Esmerlyn Valdez #55 of the Pittsburgh Pirates celebrates his first MLB career home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning in their MLB game at the Rogers Centre on May 24, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
The ball ended up in the hands of a young fan, who was soon in negotiations with Pirates reliever Justin Lawrence. As talks progressed, the Pirates righty used hand signals to request a signed bat from the dugout.
Valdez signed a bat and reliever Dennis Santana brought it out to the bullpen, then leaned around the fence to make the exchange.
Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.