The Pirates fell to the Twins 12-4 on July 12, 2025, as Byron Buxton hit for the cycle. Despite the loss, Jack Suwinski homered and hope looms on the farm.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was one of those days. The kind where the score feels lopsided from the early innings and the opponent seems to have all the magic. The Pittsburgh Pirates fell hard to the Minnesota Twins 12-4 on Saturday, a game dominated by Byron Buxton hitting for the cycle. But while the big league club took its lumps, the real story for the Pirates organization unfolded elsewhere—in a long-awaited home run, on the farm, and in the war room preparing for tomorrow's MLB Draft.
Top prospect Konnor Griffin is hitting .330 with a .929 OPS, 13 home runs, and 40 stolen bases in his first 74 games.
There's no sugarcoating it: Saturday's game was a tough watch. Starter Mike Burrows was chased after just 1.1 innings, surrendering six earned runs on five hits and three walks. His own throwing error contributed to the deluge, one of two errors on the day for the Bucs. The Twins, led by an unstoppable Byron Buxton, never looked back. Buxton systematically dismantled the Pirates' pitching, completing the cycle with a solo home run in the seventh inning to cap off a dominant 12-4 Minnesota victory.
Even in a blowout, there were glimmers of hope. The brightest came from the bat of Jack Suwinski, who finally broke through with his first home run of the 2025 season. He crushed a 77 mph curveball for a 407-foot solo shot in the fifth inning, a sign that his power is still very much present. The offense also saw solid contributions from Joey Bart, who went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, and Nick Gonzales, who drove in two runs. Even the team's first run, scored by veteran Andrew McCutchen, came with a bit of hustle after he reached on an error.
While the Pirates struggled in Minneapolis, the future of the organization continued to shine. All eyes are on top prospect Konnor Griffin, who is putting together a truly special season. Across two minor league levels, Griffin is hitting .330 with a .929 OPS, 13 homers, and a staggering 40 stolen bases. His performance has earned him a well-deserved spot in the upcoming Futures Game and has the front office dreaming of a future five-tool star in Pittsburgh.
The good news from the minors doesn't stop with Griffin. The Pirates' High-A affiliate recently tossed the organization's first nine-inning perfect game since 2017, a testament to the pitching depth being cultivated in the system. This wave of talent is about to get another major boost. The 2025 MLB Draft begins tomorrow, July 13, and the Pirates hold the sixth overall pick. With the ninth-largest bonus pool at their disposal ($14,088,400), they are poised to inject another high-ceiling player into a system that is already bearing fruit.
Saturday's loss was a forgettable one on the scoreboard, but it served as a perfect backdrop for the real narrative surrounding the 2025 Pirates. While wins and losses matter today, the foundation for sustained success is being built on the farm and solidified in the draft. As the team looks to shake off this loss, all attention now shifts to tomorrow, when the Pirates will make a franchise-altering selection with the sixth overall pick, adding another key piece to the promising future.
