The Pittsburgh Pirates are expected to promote top prospect Paul Skenes to make his debut on Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.

Skenes, 21, has allowed three earned runs in 27 1/3 innings with 45 strikeouts in Triple-A.

The Pirates drafted Skenes with the No. 1 overall pick in 2023.

Before he signed a four-year, $53 million deal with the Chicago Cubs, Shota Imanaga drew interest from the Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox, according to a report.

A previous report stated that the Red Sox offered Imanaga a two-year deal with $26 million in guaranteed money with vesting options for the 2026 and 2027 seasons.

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Aroldis Chapman has been suspended two games and fined an undisclosed amount for "inappropriate actions" during Monday's game against the New York Mets, MLB announced Thursday.

Andrew McCutchen hit the 300th home run of his career and the Pittsburgh Pirates cruised past the Philadelphia Phillies 9-2 on Sunday, earning a split of the four-game series.

David Bednar's first three seasons in Pittsburgh largely have been charmed ones as the hometown kid developed into a two-time All-Star closer for a team convinced it's on the rise.

And while the Pirates might be on their way to contention, Bednar is faltering. The right-hander blew his third save in four chances on Tuesday when Detroit rallied for a 5-3 win.

The most jarring moment wasn't the walk or the two batters he hit that fueled the Tigers' comeback, but the sound of Bednar being booed at home by a crowd that has emphatically embraced him from the moment he arrived from San Diego in the January 2021 trade that sent Joe Musgrove to the Padres.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired Joey Bart in a trade with the San Francisco Giants.

San Francisco will receive right-hander Austin Strickland in the deal.

Bart, the second overall pick in 2018, has hit .219/.288/.335 over 503 plate appearances since making his Major League debut in 2020.

The New York Yankees acquired right-hander JT Brubaker and international bonus pool allotment from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday for a player to be named.

Brubaker, Pittsburgh's Opening Day starter in 2022, missed last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery on April 12 with Dr. Keith Meister. Brubaker agreed in January to a one-year deal for $2,275,000 and was put on the 60-day injured list on Feb. 19.

Right-hander Chase Anderson agreed Sunday to a one-year contract with the Boston Red Sox, one day after he was released from a minor league deal by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Anderson, 36, was 1-6 with a 5.75 ERA last year in 17 starts and two relief appearances for Tampa Bay and Colorado.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are moving Roansy Contreras to the bullpen.

Derek Shelton left open the possibility of giving Contreras another rotation look down the line.

Contreras, 24, was the centerpiece of the 2021 trade that sent Jameson Taillon to the New York Yankees.

In 68 1/3 innings for the Pirates last season, Contreras had a 6.59 ERA and 55 strikeouts.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are bringing in veteran outfielder Michael Taylor on a one-year deal worth $4 million, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan on Friday.

The deal is pending a physical.

Taylor, who turns 33 this month, joins a team that is looking for help in right field as the season approaches. He hit .220 with 21 home runs and 51 RBIs last season while playing in Minnesota.