Bucs to host vaccine clinic at PNC Park

The Pirates are stepping up as part of MLB’s Vaccinate at the Plate program to hold a vaccination clinic at PNC Park on Saturday.

Between 12-2 p.m. ET, the Pirates will team up with Allegheny Health Network and Highmark Health to provide COVID-19 vaccine shots in the Jim Beam Left Field Lounge. All unvaccinated fans who get a COVID-19 vaccination shot during the event will be given a voucher for two free tickets to a game of their choice in 2021.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have worked with AHN and Highmark Health to ensure many throughout our community are able to get the vaccine as safely and efficiently as possible,” Pirates president Travis Williams said in a statement. “As we plan to open the ballpark without seating restrictions on July 1, we are proud to support this MLB initiative and offer another opportunity for our fans and our city to safely return to normal activities.”

Fans can preregister to receive a shot at pirates.com/vaccination, but walk-up appointments are also available. The entrance for the event is located on Federal Street beside the Willie Stargell statue, and preregistered attendees should arrive at the entrance 10 minutes before their scheduled appointments and have ID ready to show.

New memo provides consistency
Major League Baseball issued a memo on Tuesday providing guidance for how the league will enhance and unify its enforcement rules prohibiting foreign substances from being used on baseballs.

Per the memo, MLB says this should provide “a uniform standard for the consistent application of the rules, including regular checks of all pitchers regardless of whether an opposing club’s manager makes a request.”

That uniformity is something Pirates manager Derek Shelton welcomes.

“The biggest thing, I think, for myself and the Pirates, is that we have consistent guidelines of what [the rules are] going to be and how they're going to be enforced,” Shelton said. “I think, from the start, that was the one thing that I asked. As long as we have consistency and enforcement throughout the same way, then I'm fine with it."

Shelton said time will tell how this will affect the split between offense and defense. The Pirates’ staff has talked to their pitchers to make sure everyone is on the same page and no one puts themselves in jeopardy of a 10-game suspension, as is referenced in the memo for use of a foreign substance.

“I don't want anybody to be in an ambiguous situation where they're not aware of what the enforcement can do, because that's the biggest thing,” Shelton said. “If someone was put in a position where they were suspended, we need to realize, No. 1, how it affects themselves, how it affects their teammates. So we will address it just so that they know what the guidelines that came down were."

Minors trade
The Pirates acquired catcher Taylor Davis from the Orioles on Tuesday in exchange for Minor League outfielder Jose Berroa.

Davis, 31, is in his 11th year in professional baseball. He has played in 20 Major League games across 2017-19 with the Cubs. This season, he’s slashed .289/.372/.368 with three doubles in 12 games for Triple-A Norfolk.

Davis was assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis.