Monday’s “First Call” puts a twist on JuJu Smith-Schuster’s departure from the Pittsburgh Steelers.
A pair of former Pirates helped their new teams win, as their former club may be walking into a buzzsaw.
And the Penguins celebrated an important double anniversary.
JuJu on his future
Even though former Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is leaving for Kansas City, he’s not giving up on the idea of a return to Pittsburgh someday.
During a fundraising “goodbye” event Sunday, Smith-Schuster told Steelers fans to keep an open mind toward the idea of him landing back in Pittsburgh someday.
“I could see myself back here. Even today, this shows a lot, that I still have fans out here coming out to support me, ”Smith-Schuster said via KDKA.com.
Smith-Schuster signed a one-year, $ 3.25 million contract with the Chiefs earlier in the offseason. He was injured during Week 5 of last year and didn’t return until the playoffs.
The 25-year-old’s fundraiser was in the Strip District Terminal along Smallman Street. Proceeds from the event went to local charities and institutions such as Paws Across Pittsburgh Animal Rescue and Magee-Women’s Research Institute.
Lord Stanley, Lord Stanley
Get me the brandy!
What better way to raise a toast in celebration of an important anniversary for the Penguins. First of all, Sunday marked six years ago when the Pens won the franchise’s fourth Stanley Cup. It happened on June 12, 2016 in San Jose.
And the team made mention of the accomplishment on Twitter.
Six years ago, the Penguins made history in Shark territory pic.twitter.com/1BVYZHKju2
– Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) June 12, 2022
It was also the 13th anniversary of the 2009 Stanley Cup clinching victory over the Detroit Red Wings.
On this day in 2009 …
Best. Day. Ever. pic.twitter.com/bf9ViKF4Uq
– Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) June 12, 2022
So, June 12… not a bad day in Pittsburgh history.
Related:
• Tim Benz: Based on minicamp, some of the narrative on why Steelers drafted Kenny Pickett has already changed
• Madden Monday: Penguins will give Kris Letang an offer ‘big enough so that the ball is going to be in his court’
See you in St. Louis
The Pirates caught the Atlanta Braves at the wrong time.
Not only are the Pirates struggling, losing six in a row. But the Braves are red hot. After sweeping the Buccos, Atlanta has now won 11 straight, sitting at 34-27. That’s currently good for one of the wild-card spots in the National League.
Up next for the Pirates (24-34), it’s the National League Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals (34-27). They are fresh off taking two of three from the Cincinnati Reds. St. Louis has 18 home wins. Only two NL clubs have more – the Braves (20) and the New York Mets (19).
The Cardinals have 288 runs scored. That’s the sixth most in Major League Baseball. The Pirates have 199, the second fewest in the league.
The Cards have also yielded 243 runs, 10th fewest in baseball. The Pirates have given up 290, the sixth most in the big leagues.
The Cardinals have won five of six against the Pirates this year.
So this should go well. The teams begin a four-game series in St. Louis Monday night.
Mixed results
A pair of ex-Pirates put up numbers with similar degrees of success Sunday.
Former Buccos starter Jameson Taillon won his seventh game in 12 tries for the New York Yankees on Sunday. He is now 7-1 with a 2.93 ERA.
But Taillon was only so-so based on his high standards this year, allowing three earned runs in five innings pitched. Yet he struck out five while walking only one. His strikeout to walk ratio on the season is now 52: 7.
Taillon got plenty of offensive support as the Yankees trounced the Chicago Cubs 18-4.
Meanwhile, Andrew McCutchen homered in the ninth inning against the Washington Nationals as part of a 4-1 Milwaukee Brewers win.
Crushed by Cutch!@ TheCUTCH22 | #ThisIsMyCrew pic.twitter.com/tQDVVoMHoR
– Milwaukee Brewers (@BreweCUTCHrs) June 12, 2022
For McCutchen, that was his fourth home run of the season. The win snapped an eight-game losing streak for Milwaukee.
Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at tbenz@triblive.com or on Twitter. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.