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The Pittsburgh Pirates suddenly have a much younger, & interesting roster.
Tonight on NS9LIVE!, Tyler and DiNardo react to Esmerlyn Valdez getting promoted to the big leagues and what it could mean for the Pirates lineup. How much should Valdez actually play? Does this move make sense right now? And is this a real opportunity or just the Pirates trying to patch things together after the Ryan O’Hearn injury?
We also get into the bigger picture: 20-year-old Konnor Griffin starting at shortstop, 22-year-old Esmerlyn Valdez joining the roster, and 23-year-old Jhostynxon Garcia getting called up earlier this week. The Pirates are sitting in a tough NL Central race, but they’ve suddenly created a real youth movement at the big-league level. Is that smart development, necessary aggression, or a sign of where the season is heading?
Plus, we’ll talk through the catcher situation with Henry Davis and Endy Rodriguez holding things down right now, and of course, we’ll open with the NS9 Stupid Question.
Valdez was recalled from Triple-A on Thursday, while Garcia was recalled earlier this week after Ryan O’Hearn landed on the injured list. Konnor Griffin has also started to settle in after a huge game against St. Louis, giving Pirates fans a very different-looking roster to talk about.
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"The Pittsburgh Pirates’ Future Is Arriving Fast" is an episode of North Shore Nine: A Pittsburgh Pirates Podcast. Runtime 1 hr 9 min. Published May 22, 2026. Hit play above to stream it here, or open the free Spot Sports app for background play and offline downloads.