Pirates' Griffin, Cruz Shine; Injuries Open Doors

0:00On April 7th, Pirates GM Ben Charenten is sounding optimistic about locking in top prospect Connor Griffin with a long-term deal. There's buzz from ESPN about a 9-year, $140 million extension for the 19-year-old shortstop and Charenten didn't shut. It down, he said. There's real hope since both sides feel good about it. Speculation kicked off early in April, but right now, nothing's official. Meanwhile, they called Griffin up quick to boost the team, even if it means working through some early bumps before the season heats up. Fans and front-offers love his skills and maturity, especially after shortstop was a weak spot. He's already made the squad better, crushing a double in his first big league at bat, though he's hit a rough patch going 0 for 12 lately. On the injury front, Jared Trio lows out weeks with a knee tendon issue, opening doors at 3rd for Nick Gonzalez batting 303 in New York. Had 286, fresh off a walkoff double. O'Neill Cruz is on fire too, with four homers and 10 RBIs, that smile back as he takes

1:02over games. Charrington's watching it all unfold, betting on these young guns to carry Pittsburgh deep. That's the story for today, MLB News Today, driven by AI.