Around the Curve | Curve in the Majors - Vol. 1
CURVE, PA. – Altoona has been a pipeline to the Major Leagues for nearly 26 years, with the current alumni count at 213 players achieving their dreams of becoming a big leaguer. This season, we want to look at some of the exciting accomplishments our alumni are achieving at the
CURVE, PA. – Altoona has been a pipeline to the Major Leagues for nearly 26 years, with the current alumni count at 213 players achieving their dreams of becoming a big leaguer. This season, we want to look at some of the exciting accomplishments our alumni are achieving at the Major League level. Every week, we will spotlight a handful of players who are succeeding at the next level and reflect on their time with the Curve, here on the Around the Curve Blog! Here is the first edition of: “Curve in the Majors.”
1. INF/OF Cole Tucker – Los Angeles Angels
Season Stats: 8 games, .227 batting average, 2 doubles, 1 RBI, 3 SB
Most Curve fans will remember the smiling face of Cole Tucker, who won an Eastern League Championship with the Curve in 2017 and played a combined total of 175 games in Altoona from 2017-2018. Tucker, a former first-round pick by the Pirates in 2014, has bounced around organizations in the last few seasons after he was designated for assignment by the Pirates in 2022. Since his time in Pittsburgh, Tucker has played with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, Seattle Mariners, and Los Angeles Angels organizations.
Tucker signed a minor league contract with the Mariners in Spring Training but was released in March and was offered a position to become a coach. Instead, he signed with the Angels early in April and was recently promoted to the big-league roster in Anaheim. This past week, Tucker traveled back to Pittsburgh to play against the Pirates for the first time, where he was able to reunite with dozens of former teammates such as Mitch Keller, Ke’Bryan Hayes, and Bryan Reynolds.
2. RHP Osvaldo Bido – Oakland Athletics
Season Stats (Triple-A): 4-1, 2.59 ERA, 6 games (5 starts), 31.1 IP, 13 BB, 39 K
Osvaldo Bido was a member of Altoona’s starting rotation in 2021, where he made 19 starts and pitched to a 5.09 ERA with 91 strikeouts in 93.2 innings. Bido made his Major League debut on June 14, 2023 with the Pirates, going 2-5 with a 5.86 ERA in 16 games with nine starts. Bido elected free agency after the season and was signed by the Athletics in November, where he was sent to Triple-A Las Vegas. Bido was recalled by the Athletics on May 8 to make a start in game two of a doubleheader against the Texas Rangers, where he was opposed by Rangers RHP Jack Leiter. This season at Triple-A, his strikeout rate has been higher than it ever has in his career at 30%, or 11.20 K/9 innings. He was named the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week for April 29 – May 5.
3. OF Andrew McCutchen – Pittsburgh Pirates
Season Stats: .184, 28 games, 3 doubles, 3 HR, 7 RBI
Okay, it’s hard to have an alumni report without including Altoona’s most popular alum. On April 14, in the ninth inning of an afternoon game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Andrew McCutchen drove a slider into the left-field seats for his first home run of the season. It was the 300th of his storied career.
McCutchen became the fourth player to hit his 300th home run in a Pirates uniform, joining Ralph Kiner (1953), Willie Stargell (1973), and Jeromy Burnitz (2006). It was his 216th home run as a Pirate, leaving him 24 shy of catching Roberto Clemente for third-most in franchise history.
McCutchen played 138 games for the Curve from 2006-2007, and to this day he is still the youngest player to take the field for Altoona, making his Double-A debut on August 15, 2006 at 19 years, 10 months, and five days old. The 11th overall pick in the 2005 MLB Draft played in the final 20 games of the 2006 season en route to being named the Pirates Minor League Player of the Year. When he returned in 2007, he was the Pirates No. 1 prospect per Baseball America, but his numbers cooled off. He finished his Curve tenure with a .265 batting average, 13 home runs and 60 RBIs in 138 games.
4. RHP Clay Holmes – New York Yankees
Season Stats: 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 16 games, 16.1 IP, 1 BB, 18 K, 11 Saves
Clay Holmes made his Major League debut with the Pirates in April of 2018, spending four seasons with Pittsburgh before being traded to the New York Yankees in 2021. This season, Holmes has shown himself to be one of the best closers in baseball. The right-handed reliever has converted 11 of 12 saves for the Yankees, tied for the second-most in the Major Leagues. Perhaps more impressive is that he has not allowed an earned run in 16 appearances and has only walked one batter with 18 strikeouts.
Holmes pitched for the Curve primarily in 2016 where he was used as a starter, making 26 starts and finishing the season 10-9 with a 4.22 ERA in 136.1 IP. He returned to Altoona on rehab in 2019, throwing in two games in relief.
5. RHP Gerrit Cole – New York Yankees
Season Stats: Has not Pitched.
Gerrit Cole rivals McCutchen for the most notable Curve alum in recent years, and rightfully so. The former Pirates No. 1 overall draft selection in 2011 is a six-time All-Star and the reining AL Cy Young Award winner.
However, this season Cole has yet to take the mound after dealing with elbow inflammation at Spring Training. He was placed on the 60-Day IL with fears of Tommy John Surgery in his future, but the most recent news has been promising.
Cole has begun throwing lightly once again, and New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone has said that everything has gone well so far. There is still some way to go, but it seems that there is a chance a healthy Cole will take the mound later this summer for the Yankees.
Cole pitched for the Curve in 2012, making 12 starts with a 3-6 record and a 2.90 ERA in 59.0 IP.
Other Notes:
- Paul Skenes has continued his dominant ways in Triple-A Indianapolis this season, striking out 45 batters in 27.1 innings across his first seven starts. Skenes has a 0.99 ERA with only three earned runs allowed and will make his Major League debut with the Pirates on Saturday.
- Nick Gonzales is having statistically his best season in the Minor Leagues, hitting .358 through 30 games with Triple-A Indianapolis with 14 doubles, two triples, four home runs and 19 RBI. Gonzales made his Major League debut last summer and may hit his way back onto the Pirates roster very soon.
- The American Association begins play this week, one of many independent ball leagues. INF Josh Bissonette, who was released by the Pirates in Spring Training, is on the Kansas City Monarchs roster, along with former Triple-A teammate Travis Swaggerty. RHP Tahnaj Thomas will also start his season in the American Association with the Milwaukee Milkmen.
Stay tuned all season long for more exciting content on the Around the Curve Blog!
Flying Squirrels Take Series with Sunday Win Over Curve
CURVE, Pa. – Nick Cimillo knocked his 11th double of the season in the ninth inning on Sunday to score Altoona’s only run in a 2-1 loss to the Richmond Flying Squirrels at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Opening a bullpen day, Emmanuel Chapman tossed three innings to begin the game.
Bullpen Spins Nine Scoreless Frames Saturday Night
CURVE, Pa. – Four Altoona arms combined on a 1-0 shutout over the Richmond Flying Squirrels in front of 6,054 fans on Saturday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Opening a bullpen day, lefty Blake Townsend tossed three hitless innings to begin the game. Townsend holds a 1.13 ERA in
Curve Drop Two With Richmond Friday
CURVE, Pa. – Altoona dropped both ends of their Friday night matchup with the Richmond Flying Squirrels at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Wrapping up a suspended game Richmond earned a 2-1 win in the opener and took the finale 7-4 on a night in which the Curve welcomed 4,570 fans
Rain Suspends Squirrels and Curve on Thursday Night
CURVE, Pa. – Altoona and Richmond were suspended after two innings in the first game of a scheduled doubleheader on Thursday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. The game will resume tomorrow evening at 5:00 p.m. with a seven-inning game to follow. Game two of tonight’s doubleheader, the scheduled make-up
Dotel K’s 8 in Series Opening Win
CURVE, Pa. – Altoona scored a pair of early runs and used excellent pitching to secure a 2-1 win over the Richmond Flying Squirrels on Wednesday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Altoona built an early 2-0 lead, using four first inning hits to score the first two runs of
Curve and Flying Squirrels Postponed Tuesday
CURVE, Pa. – Altoona and Richmond’s series opener at Peoples Natural Gas Field was postponed due to inclement weather on Tuesday night. The game will be made up with a doubleheader on Thursday with a pair of 7-inning games beginning at 5:00 p.m. Fans holding tickets to Tuesday’s game can
Bullpen Twirls a Gem in 7-1 Win
CURVE, Pa. – Altoona’s bullpen covered all nine innings in their 7-1 win over the Erie SeaWolves on Sunday night in front of 5,372 fans at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Making his second start of the week, lefty Blake Townsend tossed four scoreless innings in the start. He allowed just
Pichardo Stays Hot in 7-2 Loss
CURVE, Pa. – Kervin Pichardo homered and tripled in a run, but Altoona dropped a 7-2 decision to the Erie SeaWolves on Saturday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field in front of 4,536 patrons. Following an hour and 57 minute rain delay to begin the game, Erie plated two runs
Pichardo, Weatherford Boys Lead Friday Night Victory
CURVE, Pa. – Kervin Pichardo rocked a three-run homer and Weatherford, Texas natives, Brenden Dixon (two hits and a walk) and Beau Burrows (two scoreless innings, save) led a 4-1 win for Altoona over the Erie SeaWolves on Friday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. After Erie starter Carlos Pena
Bombs Away! Three Curve Homers Sink SeaWolves
CURVE, Pa. – Jack Brannigan, Imanol Vargas and Hudson Head each homered in Altoona’s 10-6 win over the Erie SeaWolves in front of 5,679 fans on Thursday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Altoona took their first lead with a three-run third inning. After Brannigan’s two-run shot tied the game
Sixth Inning Sinks Curve
CURVE, Pa. – Despite building an early 2-0 lead, Altoona dropped a 5-2 decision to the Erie SeaWolves on Wednesday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. The Curve have dropped seven of their last eight games and are now 25-34 on the season. Altoona scored the first two runs of
Erie Arms Silence Altoona Bats
Four Erie pitchers combined on a four-hit shutout of Altoona on Tuesday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. The SeaWolves earned a 3-0 win over the Curve in the series opener. After earning four hits in their first three innings at the plate, the Curve offense was unable to generate
Curve Blast Fisher Cats in Series Finale
MANCHESTER, NH – Altoona salvaged the final game of their six-game series at New Hampshire with a 11-5 win over the Fisher Cats on Sunday afternoon at Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester. The win broke a five-game losing streak for the Curve. Quiet all week, the Curve offense broke out
Curve Swept Away In Saturday Doubleheader
MANCHESTER, NH – Altoona’s losing streak stretched to five games as they were swept in a doubleheader by the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, 4-0 and 5-2, on Saturday night at Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester. Altoona was shut out for a franchise-record fourth consecutive game in the opener of the
Bats Quiet Again in 2-0 Defeat
MANCHESTER, NH – Altoona was shutout for their third consecutive game at New Hampshire, falling 2-0 on Thursday night at Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester. It is the first time since August 2-4, 2021 that the Curve have been held without a run in three straight nine inning games. Fisher
Curve Shutout by Fisher Cats on Wednesday Night
MANCHESTER, NH – Despite another strong night from the Altoona pitching staff, the Curve dropped a 3-0 decision to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on Wednesday night at Delta Dental Stadium in New Hampshire. Jarod Bayless started the bullpen day for the Curve and was touched for three runs in
Jebb, Cimillo Combine for Four Hits in Series Opening Defeat
MANCHESTER, NH – Mitch Jebb and Nick Cimillo combined for four of Altoona’s five hits in a 4-0 loss to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on Tuesday night at Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester. Alessandro Ercolani dueled away with Fisher Cats starter Ryan Watson for the first four innings on
Johnson, Ross Lead Comeback Win, 7-5
CURVE, Pa. – For a second straight game, Altoona rallied from a late-inning deficit and earned a victory against the Portland Sea Dogs. The 7-5 win for the Curve ensured a series split with the Boston Red Sox affiliate. Termarr Johnson highlighted the comeback with a massive two-run shot in
Dixon’s Walk-off Bomb Highlights 9-7 Win
CURVE, Pa. – After dropping the resumed suspended game, 9-3, Altoona rallied from a 5-0 deficit after the top of the first inning in the nightcap and earned a 9-7 walk-off win over the Portland Sea Dogs. The Curve are 2-3 this week against Portland and can earn a series
Sea Dogs and Curve Suspended in Fifth Inning
CURVE, Pa. – Altoona and Portland were suspended in the fifth inning of their game on Friday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. The teams will pick up the suspended game on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. and play it to its completion before playing a 7-inning game. Altoona trails the
‘Dogs Sweep Curve In Thursday Doubleheader
CURVE, Pa. – Portland completed a doubleheader sweep of the Curve on Thursday night, 3-0 and 9-6, at Peoples Natural Gas Field. After Thursday’s game, Altoona’s record stands at 22-26. GAME ONE Portland’s David Sandlin tossed a three-hit shutout to lead the Sea Dogs to a 3-0 win over the
Curve Buried At Sea By The Dogs
CURVE, Pa. – Wednesday night’s game between Altoona and Portland was postponed due to inclement weather. The game will be made up on Thursday, May 29, at Peoples Natural Gas Field with a doubleheader consisting of a pair of 7-inning games beginning at 5:00 p.m. Fans holding tickets to Wednesday’s
Cimillo’s Homer Leads Series Opening Win
CURVE, Pa. – Nick Cimillo knocked his second home run of the season as Altoona defeated the Portland Sea Dogs, 4-2, on Tuesday night to begin the week at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Cimillo knocked the solo shot in the seventh inning odd Sea Dogs reliever Jonathan Brand. The Curve
Curve Split Sunday Doubleheader in Akron
AKRON, Ohio – After dropping the first four games of the week in Akron, the Curve split a doubleheader on Sunday night to the RubberDucks at Canal Park, taking game one 1-0 before falling in game two 5-4. GAME ONE Altoona was held scoreless over the first five innings of
Peterson Powers RubberDucks to Second-Consecutive Shutout Win Over Altoona
AKRON, Ohio – For the second game in a row, Altoona was shutout by the Akron RubberDucks on Saturday night at Canal Park, falling by a final of 10-0. Austin Peterson was dominant for Akron, spinning seven scoreless innings and allowing just three hits with four strikeouts. He retired the