On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates placed a player they recently acquired on waivers.
The Pirates added Nick Solak on the 40-man roster, which saw them designate infielder/outfielder Michael Helman for assignment.
Pittsburgh claimed Helman off of waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals on May 14 and placed him on the 40-man roster after they transferred infielder Enmanuel Valdez to the 60-day Injured List and optioned him to Triple-A Indianapolis on May 15.
Helman hails from Lincoln, Neb. and played basketball and baseball for Pius X High School there. He then attended Hutchinson Community College, playing baseball at the junior college level in both 2016 and 2017, hitting .487 as a sophomore with 17 home runs, 73 RBIs and 111 hits, earning National Junior College Player of the Year honors.
He then transferred to Texas A&M for the 2018 season, where he started 62 games and slashed .369/.451/.526 for a .977 OPS, with 92 hits, 17 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 36 RBIs, 28 walks to 31 strikeouts and 12 stolen bases.
The Minnesota Twins selected Helman in the 11th round of the 2018 MLB Draft, where he spent six seasons making his way up through the minor leagues.
He made it up to Double-A Wichita and Triple-A Saint Paul in 2022, but injury halted his progress in 2023, making him wait until 2024 to make his MLB debut. He would make the 40-man roster on Sept. 1 and had three hits in 10 at-bats.
The Twins traded him to the Cardinals on Feb. 6 in exchange for cash considerations and they optioned him to Triple-A Memphis to begin 2025.
Helman struggled in 18 games with Memphis, slashing .185/.260/.292 for an OPS of .553, with 12 hits in 65 at-bats, four doubles, one home run, five RBIs and six walks to 16 strikeouts.
The Pirates currently have outfielders on the 40-man roster, including Alexander Canario, Oneil Cruz, Andrew McCutchen, Tommy Pham, Bryan Reynolds and Solak, while Ji Hwan Bae and Jack Suwinski are currently with Indianapolis. Matt Gorski and Adam Frazier have also both played in the outfield this season with the Pirates.
More must-reads:
- Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani ties franchise record with HR vs. Twins
- Yankees cannot afford to trade their 'left-handed Aaron Judge'
- The 'MLB All-Star Game MVPs' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
TODAY'S BEST
Surprise Brewers Rival Enters The Eugenio Suarez Trade Sweepstakes
The talk of the trade rumor mill right now is Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez. The Milwaukee Brewers are one of many teams to be connected to the 34 year old slugger, along with the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees. Suarez continues to raise his profile, battling with Shohei Ohtani for the NL home run lead, already with 36 long balls on the season. He'd be an immediate boost to any team looking for offensive help, which the Brewers certainly are. But there's another contender in the Suarez Sweepstakes that's just entered, and it's one the Brewers' other division rivals. The Cincinnati Reds. While the Milwaukee Brewers have taken a one game lead in the NL Central, the Cincinnati Reds have quietly snuck into 3rd place in the division and currently sit 8.5 games back of the Brewers with a 53-50 record. Fangraphs gives the Reds a 0.4% chance to win the division and a 10.9% chance to make the playoffs. Suarez would no doubt give a boost to the Reds in their hunt for a wild card spot, and it would be a reunion for the two sides. Suarez was a Red from 2015-2021 and he had some of the best years of his career there. He slugged a career high 49 home runs for them in 2019. The inclusion of the Reds would certainly throw a wrench in the Suarez sweepstakes as a team that's out on the periphery of the playoff race. He could certainly cause some more headaches for the Brewers as they try to close out the division. Still, the Reds might be a more preferable alternative destination for Suarez than the Cubs if you're the Brewers. The Reds have a lot of good, young players that they could trade in order to get Suarez. They've been desperate to get to that next level the last couple of years and they may finally push some chips in to get themselves back into the playoffs. The number of teams interested in Suarez continues to grow. That will just raise the price on the Brewers a little bit more if they want to get him.
NHL Analyst Links Edmonton Oilers Defenseman to Winnipeg Jets for Salary Cap Relief
NHL analyst Jake Tye of The Hockey News believes the Oilers could be in a position to trade Jake Walman for salary-cap relief, and the Jets are a team of interest. The 2026 NHL free-agent class appears to be shaping up to be one of the best ever, with Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel and Artemi Panarin heading up the list. The Winnipeg Jets might have a more grounded and smarter target in Oilers defenseman Jake Walman. At 29, the native from Toronto has become a consistent-scoring offensive defenseman with 50-point upside over a full season. A year ago, he posted 0.61 points per game in the regular season and held a 0.45 average over Edmonton's Stanley Cup Final run, with his play being especially beneficial in crucial moments. Picked in the third round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues, Jake Walman was initially viewed as an upper-end, Adam Fox-caliber defenseman. He was traded to Detroit, where he was part of a deal that had him, Oskar Sundqvist, and a second-round pick go to Detroit for Nick Leddy and Luke Witkowski. There, he compiled 43 points in 145 games, showing glimpses of attacking flair. A cap-clearing deal then shipped him off to San Jose, where a larger role saw him tally 32 points in 50 games and make him an important asset in no time. Edmonton knocked on his door, acquiring him before his Cup journey, with him contributing 10 points in 22 games. Walman has just one year remaining on his contract Now with a year remaining on his $3.4 million contract and cap concerns for the Oilers, Walman could be on the open market sooner than later. 'With just one year left on his contract at $3.4 million and the Oilers facing cap constraints, Walman could be on the move again. He's drawn comparisons to Ryan McDonagh as another defenceman who thrived in a bottom-pairing role on a championship team. Like McDonagh with the Lightning, Walman combines solid two-way play with enough offensive upside to make a real impact. If he hits the open market or the Oilers are looking to move him, Walman could be a smart pickup for a team like Winnipeg as an option alongside Luke Schenn on the bottom pair and would work as cost-effective help on the backend with playoff aspirations in mind.' - Jake Tye His blend of solid two-way play and potential on offense makes him a cost-efficient depth signing for a contender like Winnipeg seeking blue-line help, per NHL analyst Jake Tye.
Jonathan Kuminga's Agent Shuts Down Rumors Of Rejecting $30 Million Per Year From Warriors
The Jonathan Kuminga situation has been more complicated for the Warriors with each passing day. From new teams showing interest in him to never-ending contract negotiations. The decision on what to do with Kuminga has halted all other moves for the Warriors. There were reports last season that claimed the Warriors had discussed a potential contract with Kuminga, but the 22-year-old reportedly rejected the offer at the time. Now, his agent, Aaron Turner, clarifies that these reports were never true. Even if the Warriors had internally discussed this offer, he claims such an offer was never presented to his client. "NO one on our side was turning down 30M a year. Our camp is smarter than that. Narrative makes no sense, twisted up Slater’s words, I think! #Fakenews" There have been rumors that Kuminga's camp has demanded a contract in that range itself, approximately $30 million a year. Meanwhile, the Warriors seem to be adamant on an approximately $20 million a year price tag for him. Therefore, it is naturally baffling to him that reports claim Kuminga was presented with the offer and rejected it, even when he wasn't even given the offer. The restricted free agent averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in the regular season last year. Midway through last season, Steve Kerr and Jonathan Kuminga's rift became public. Ever since then, it has been unlikely that Kuminga signs an extension with the Warriors. The Warriors are now looking for a potential sign-and-trade deal for Kuminga if he finds a team willing to match his demands, which insiders feel is unlikely. The Phoenix Suns and Chicago Bulls are names that have come up in rumors of interest in Kuminga. But neither of the teams seems to be offering a player that the Warriors are interested in. If there is no solution to this situation, then Kuminga will be forced to return to the Warriors, as they had extended a qualifying offer to him worth $7.9 million. As a result of this, Kuminga could become a free agent in 2026. The question now remains: what will Kuminga do? Will he find a team that can match his demands? Make a compromise on his demands to accept a $20 million per year offer to get traded away from the Warriors? Or accept his qualifying offer and prove his worth to the league by performing for the Warriors next season? While a Warriors return seems unlikely, as his camp has reportedly claimed he is not interested in returning, with each passing day, it seems to become the likeliest conclusion to this saga.
Chicago Blackhawks reportedly set to trade 25-year-old goaltender to Stars rival, Edmonton Oilers
The Chicago Blackhawks, a crowded goaltending situation and trade rumors involving the Edmonton Oilers have fans wondering if the Stars' rivals could soon upgrade their crease before training camp. With training camp approaching, Chicago general manager Kyle Davidson has five goalies under contract, including Spencer Knight, Arvid Soderblom, Drew Commesso, newly signed Stanislav Berezhnoy, and veteran Laurent Brossoit. Only two NHL roster spots are available, which has fueled speculation that Brossoit could be moved to a contender, with Edmonton emerging as a leading candidate. For Stars fans, seeing the Oilers potentially bolster their crease should raise eyebrows. Edmonton, fresh off a deep playoff run, is looking to avoid the same issues that hurt them late in the postseason. "The Blackhawks have too many goalies and not enough spots, and Brossoit's contract and experience make him a natural trade chip for a team like the Oilers."-Julien Trekker Chicago's goalie logjam and Berezhnoy's recent signing are detailed further at NHL.com. Dallas could see its rival upgrade as Blackhawks explore trading Laurent Brossoit Brossoit, 32, carries a $3.3 million cap hit for one more season. Drafted by Calgary in 2011, he's appeared in 140 NHL games, including time with Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Vegas, where he helped the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup in 2023. While Chicago decides, Drew Commesso continues to push for NHL time after posting a .911 save percentage over 39 AHL games. For a deeper look at Commesso's performance, his full profile is on Elite Prospects. I think if Edmonton lands Brossoit or even Commesso, Dallas may have to plan around a deeper Oilers team come playoff time, especially given how tight the Western race looks on paper.
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
