Pittsburgh Pirates' manager Derek Shelton has decided to remove David Bednar as the team's closer, opting for a committee approach for the role. Bednar's recent performance has been disappointing, with numerous blown saves.

The Pirates struggled overall in August, leading to tough losses, including a recent sweep by the Chicago Cubs. The team is contemplating various options for the closer position as they prepare for their upcoming games against the Cleveland Guardians.

The Pittsburgh Pirates experienced a tough series against the Chicago Cubs, highlighted by rookie Pete Crow-Armstrong's impressive performance. Crow-Armstrong achieved a historic feat for an MLB rookie during the series.

The Cubs dominated the first game, defeating the Pirates 18-8. In addition to Crow-Armstrong's strong showing, game two featured struggles from the Pirates' Jared Jones. The final game saw a dramatic comeback from the Cubs, culminating in a 14-10 win.

The Pirates are now falling behind in the standings, significantly more than ten games back for a Wild Card position in the National League.

Willi Castro made history over the weekend by setting a new Twins record, but not in the way he wanted. Getting hit by errant pitches has left him bruised and frustrated. Despite the pain, Castro acknowledged it's a consequence of his hitting style. His manager is concerned about the velocity of the pitches that have struck him and the potential for injury. However, there is a silver lining as getting hit frequently has boosted his on-base percentage and potentially helped the team win more games.

On another note, Castro's flexibility in batting placement has been noticed, with him being the eighth different Twins batter at the top of the order this season. Manager Baldelli sees value in mixing up lineups to keep players engaged and adapt to game situations. This approach seems to be working, with the team using 61 different lineups in the first 66 games.

The Minnesota Twins ended their losing streak with a seven-run outburst in the 10th inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Carlos Santana and Carlos Correa contributed to the 11-5 victory.

Pitcher Ben Heller struggled with an ERA of 49.50 after plunking three batters. The Pirates finished a successful homestand, winning two of three against the Los Angeles Dodgers.