Pirates' Billy Cook: Sitting after four straight starts
Rotowire
Cook is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Brewers.
Cook will hit the bench after he went 3-for-14 with a solo home run and a stolen base while starting each of the past four games at four different positions (first base, left field, right field and center field). First base could end up being the primary home for Cook over the final four games of the season after the Pirates moved Rowdy Tellez off the 40-man roster Tuesday.
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Pirates' Billy Cook: Slugs first homer in loss
Rotowire
Cook went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer in Wednesday's loss to the Cardinals.
After going down on strikes in each of his first two at-bats, Cook launched a two-out, three-run homer in the top of the sixth to put Pittsburgh on top 5-4. He would later add a leadoff single in the ninth to give him his second multi-hit performance of the campaign. The long ball was also the first of Cook's big-league career, and he now has five RBI through his first eight games, though he's batting just .208 (5-for-24) over that stretch.
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Pirates' Billy Cook: Successful big-league debut
Rotowire
Cook went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI on Sunday against the Nationals.
Cook had his contract selected from Triple-A earlier Sunday when Henry Davis was put on the shelf with left hand inflammation, then responded with a two-run double in his first big-league at-bat. He later collected a single to round out a successful debut. Cook is a versatile defender capable of playing all over the field and thus could receive an extended look by the Pirates over the final few weeks of the season.
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Pirates' Billy Cook: Promoted, starting Sunday
Rotowire
The Pirates selected Cook's contract from Triple-A Indianapolis, and he'll start at first base and bat seventh Sunday against the Nationals, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
The 25-year-old was acquired from the Orioles ahead of the summer trade deadline, and he'll make his MLB debut Sunday versus Washington. Cook has an .849 OPS in 115 minor-league games this season and can play all over the field, so he could have a decent path to playing time while up with the Pirates.
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Pirates' Billy Cook: Traded to Pirates
Rotowire
The Orioles traded Cook to the Pirates on Tuesday in exchange for Patrick Reilly.
Cook has impressed since earning a promotion to Triple-A in April, slashing .282/.373/.490 with 43 RBI and 12 stolen bases in 69 games. The 25-year-old has also played every position in the field other than shortstop this season, which may increase his chances of earning a call to the majors later in the year.
