Pirates Fest marked a big milestone for the Bucco Bantr crew. It was our first wave of interviews, the first time our mics were rolling in a setting like this, and the first chance to catch up with players as excitement for 2026 continues to build. The first Pirates to step up were Jared Jones, Jake Mangum, and Endy Rodríguez, each offering insight into their offseason work, health, and expectations for the year ahead. Oneil Cruz wouldn’t let the party go on without him either. He made sure to make an appearance as well.
Jared Jones: “I’m Getting Excited to Throw Hard Again”
Jared Jones didn’t hesitate when asked how he’s feeling after dealing with injury last season. The answer was simple and encouraging.
“I’m feeling pretty good right now,” Jones said. “I’m in the part where you start ramping up and finding the velo again. So, I’ve been feeling pretty good.”
That ramp up process has been a welcoming one. Jones explained that his offseason routine has been structured but fun, especially now that he’s building back toward full strength.
“Honestly, for me it’s been pretty easy,” he said. “I’ll come in some days and see what my max velo is supposed to be for my bullpen that day, and I might go over it a bit, a touch, just because I’m getting excited to throw hard again.”
That excitement has made returning to the field feel less like rehab and more like preparation.
“It’s just more fun than anything, showing up to the field every day now that I’m preparing to come back to play baseball games again.”
Jones also shared an early impression of new pitching coach Bill Murphy, and it couldn’t have been a better introduction.
“Bill showed up and he congratulated me by bringing me a balloon saying ‘Congrats’ and a smiley face one, too,” Jones said. “So, pretty cool. He’s a good dude.”
Looking ahead to the season, Jones pointed to the roster construction as something that really stands out, particularly the balance the Pirates are building offensively.
“We got some left-handed pop and we kind of played into what our field is,” he said. “Left field for us is a pretty deep one, so right field is really short. So, just getting that pop from the left side, it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
For Jones, simply being back in Pittsburgh meant something.
“Just being back in Pittsburgh,” he said. “The place is special to me and I’m glad to be back. Even if it’s for Pirates Fest and not playing any games just yet, but just being back here is fun and is going to be fun.”
Jake Mangum: Business as Usual
For Jake Mangum, the offseason has been exactly what you’d expect from someone with his reputation. Consistent, intense, and focused on improvement.
“Just training, you know. It’s go time,” Mangum said. “I got home and I got to work on some things I learned in my first year in the big leagues, and now I’m just trying to address those things and get better.”
As Spring Training approaches, the work hasn’t slowed a bit since we talked to him about a month ago.
“Running has been picking up. The closer you get to Spring Training, running really picks up,” Mangum said. “The swinging is kind of staying the same. I’ve been hitting a lot this offseason.”
Mangum has already earned a reputation as a tough out, something reinforced recently by new teammate Ryan O’Hearn. Hearing that praise didn’t go unnoticed.
“It’s cool to hear an MLB All-Star and now teammate say those things,” Mangum said. “I actually saw that clip. It was good, but I need to hit a couple more hard line drives to get you guys away from the chopper singles. I’ve got to hit a couple more back spin line drives.”
We have mentioned many times that Mangum also had a reputation for turning some infield choppers into base hits. Safe to say he is well aware!
Then came the laugh.
“I’m just kidding. It’s cool, man. O’Hearn is a special talent. Watching him play last year was not fun because we were trying to beat the team he was on, but now he’s a teammate. Fired up. Excited to meet him.”
When asked about lineup protection and the depth forming across the roster, Mangum didn’t shy away from the possibilities.
“Man, there is a lot of players on this baseball team. I’m thankful to be a part of it,” he said. “Whatever I’ve got to do to help this team win baseball games, I’m going to do.”
“There are a lot of different ways you can look at this lineup with a lot of different guys that are really good at hitting baseballs,” he added. “It’ll be interesting to see how it all falls into place.”
Pirates Fest also sparked some reflection, and Mangum shared a fan moment he’ll never forget.
“The night I got my first base hit, it was actually against the Pirates,” he said. “The stadium in Tampa started chanting ‘Jake, Jake, Jake’ for my fourth at-bat. I got a base hit and I will never forget that memory.”
Now, that energy belongs to Pittsburgh.
“I’m starting to see that this whole entire city is black and gold,” Mangum said. “They love their sports here. I’m fired up to get to experience it.”
Endy Rodríguez: “Get Ready”
For Endy Rodríguez, the focus this offseason has been health, and everything is trending in the right direction.
“It’s been pretty good, pretty clean. Healthy,” Rodríguez said. “I’m feeling pretty good. That’s the most important thing right now.”
Getting back into a rhythm at the plate hasn’t been instant, but the progress is steady.
“It’s been up and down,” he said. “It was about four months without swinging the bat. So, it was a little tough, but now we are working really hard to just being 100-percent.”
Rodríguez couldn’t hide his excitement about the direction of the team and the additions across the roster.
“It’s pretty impressive,” he said. “I think it’s the first time that I have seen this team in the best position.”
“We’ve got really, really good bats right now. We got pretty arms in the bullpen. Our five starters are really good,” Rodríguez added. “So, our team right now looks really good.”
Physically, Rodríguez emphasized that there are no restrictions, but he is just taking some precautions as the season is near.
“I don’t have any limitation with my arm,” he said. “I just try to be a bit careful with the arm right now because we are in the offseason.”
When asked for a message to Pirates fans heading into 2026, Rodríguez kept it short and confident.
“Get ready,” he said. “Because we are going to have a great, great year.”
That’s when Oneil Cruz jumped into the moment with a big grin, fully backing Endy’s statement and providing the perfect unscripted ending to our first wave of Pirates Fest interviews.
Stay tuned for the next round of exclusive Bucco Bantr interviews!
