FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Konnor Griffin, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ latest can't-miss prospect, didn't miss against the Boston Red Sox and newcomer Ranger Suarez on Tuesday.
The 19-year-old shortstop, considered the top prospect in baseball, hit a pair of homers in Pittsburgh's 16-7 Grapefruit League win over the Red Sox.
Griffin took a pitch from Suarez, who signed a five-year, $130-million deal with Boston in January after two standout seasons in Philadelphia, over the left-field wall for a two-run homer in the second inning. Griffin did it again two innings later, turning on a two-strike pitch from Seth Martinez and sending it 440 feet.
“Got some good swings off, so kind of smoked them,” Griffin told reporters afterward.
The 6-foot-4 Griffin, who sprinted through the lower levels of Pittsburgh's farm system last season, began the day searching for his first hit of the spring and ended it with four RBIs and a pair of swings that offered a flash of his potential.
Griffin acknowledged that having success against two proven major league pitchers — Suarez was an All-Star in 2024 and Martinez has appeared in over 100 games over the last five seasons — was “special” but added he was trying to stay in the moment and not get caught up in who he was facing.
“I stepped in the box and I was ready to compete,” he said. "I wasn’t worrying about who was on the mound. I was just worrying about what his stuff was and how I could have the best approach.”
Griffin has tried to keep his head down while the buzz around him has built, just as reigning National League Cy Young winner Paul Skenes did during his first spring training with the Pirates two years ago. Skenes began the 2024 season in the minors before making his big league debut in May.
There's a chance Griffin might not have to wait that long. The left side of the Pirates' infield is a question mark. Jared Triolo is an excellent defender who can play either third or short and Nick Gonzales is also in the mix. Neither, however, has the potential at the plate that Griffin offers.
“He’s definitely going to hit,” Pirates pitcher Carmen Mzlodzinski told reporters. “There's not a whole lot of swings you see like that, especially from a teenager. The best way to say it is his swing stays in the zone forever.”
Suarez, who allowed two runs on three hits with a pair of strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings, tipped his cap to the young player who was all of 12 when Suarez made his major league debut with the Phillies in 2018.
"When you’re the top prospect in the game, people expect that from you,” Suarez said through an interpreter. “He did that today, and I wasn’t surprised.”
Suarez said he felt good about his performance overall as he begins to ramp up his workload ahead of the World Baseball Classic, where he will pitch for his native Venezuela.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
FILE - Pittsburgh Pirates' Konnor Griffin plays during a spring training baseball game, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, in Clearwater. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum,File)
Bodø/Glimt pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Champions League history by knocking out three-time winner Inter Milan on Tuesday.
The tiny Norwegian team won 2-1 at the San Siro to seal a 5-2 aggregate victory in the playoffs and secure its place in the round of 16 in spectacular fashion.
“Can you believe it?” coach Kjetil Knutsen said to TNT Sports. “A team from a small town up north. It's unbelievable.”
In its first season in European club soccer's top competition Bodø/Glimt has produced one shock after another following wins against Manchester City and Atletico Madrid at the end of the league phase. But victory over two legs against last year's Champions League finalist and current Serie A leader Inter was its biggest feat yet.
Second-half goals from Jens Petter Hauge and Hakon Evjen stunned the home fans in Milan and set Bodø/Glimt on course for a clash with City or Sporting Lisbon in the next round.
Alessandro Bastoni pulled a goal back for Inter, but by then the damage had already been done.
“We’re disappointed. We want to go as far as possible in every competition. We tried, but they were better than us,” Inter midfielder Nicolo Barella told Sky Sport.
Atletico beat Club Brugge 4-1 and completed a 7-4 aggregate win, Newcastle won 3-2 against Qarabag (9—3) and Bayer Leverkusen advanced 2-0 on aggregate against Olympiacos after 0-0 draw in the second leg.
To put Bodø/Glimt’s run into context: by the start of January it had yet to win its first game in the Champions League.
In a whirlwind few weeks it has taken down 2023 European champion City, Inter — a two-time runner up in the last three years — and Spanish giant Atletico.
According to stats firm Opta, a month ago Bodø/Glimt had a 0.3% chance of advancing to the round of 16 having picked up three points from six games in the league phase.
But those victories against City and Atletico have propelled its Champions League campaign and over two legs it was too good for an Inter team that tops the Italian league by 10 points.
“I can’t actually believe it,” Knutsen said. “The players are amazing. They take the steps, they believe, they’re working hard. ... I’m so proud.”
Defending a 3-1 first leg win, Bodø/Glimt soaked up pressure until a mistake from Manuel Akanji was seized on by Ole Didrik Blomberg in the 58th minute. His shot was saved by Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer, but Hauge was there to convert the rebound.
Hauge now has six goals in this year's tournament.
Akanji hit the post as Inter tried to mount a fight back, but Evjen lashed in a second for the visitors in the 72nd to send around 3,000 traveling fans wild.
Bastoni's goal, which marginally crossed the line, never looked like being the start of a comeback for the Italians.
“We were unlucky. The ball simply didn’t want to go in. They did what they had to do, and all I can do is congratulate them,” Inter defender Yann Bisseck said.
While Bodø/Glimt is the surprise package of this year's Champions League, it has been making a name for itself in Europe in recent years.
Last season it advanced to the semifinals of the Europa League and previously reached the quarterfinals of the Conference League.
Prior to its recent run of upsets, it beat giants like Lazio, Porto and Roma in previous years, with its artificial playing field often proving a leveler against more famous opponents.
“It’s been quite a journey to get where we are now, and there are so many people who have been part of that journey together," Knutsen told TV2.
A hat trick by Alexander Sorloth helped Atletico Madrid finally shake off Club Brugge.
Diego Simeone's team won 4-1 in the second leg, but the wide margin on the night didn't tell the full story of Brugge's resilience over two games.
A 3-3 draw in Belgium last week had seen Brugge come back from two goals down and then level again in the 89th minute.
In the second leg in Madrid it fought back once more after Sorloth fired Atletico in front in the 23rd. Joel Ordonez leveled 13 minutes later.
Diego Simeone's team went 2-1 ahead through Johnny Cardoso early in the second half and Brugge's resolve was finally broken.
Sorloth completed his hat trick with goals in the 76th and 87th to secure Atletico's place in the next round.
Newcastle's place in the next round was effectively sealed with a 6-1 win against Qarabag in the first leg. And it was 2-0 up inside six minutes of the home leg after Sandro Tonali and Joelinton struck.
Qarabag made a fight of it in the second half. Camilo Duran pulled one back before Sven Botman made it 3-1.
Elvin Jafarguliyev reduced the deficit again for the Azerbaijani team.
Bayer Leverkusen eased through by drawing with Olympiakos 0-0 and safeguarding its two-goal advantage from the first leg.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Inter Milan's Marcus Thuram reacts during the Champions League soccer match between Inter Milan and Bodø/Glimt, Tuesday, Feb. 24 , 2026 ,in Milan, Italy (Spada/LaPresse via AP)
Glimt's Hakon Evjen celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Champions League playoff soccer match between Inter Milan and Bodo Glimt, at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb.24, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Glimt's Hakon Evjen celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Champions League playoff soccer match between Inter Milan and Bodo Glimt, at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb.24, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Inter Milan's Marcus Thuram reacts during the Champions League soccer match between Inter Milan and Bodø/Glimt, Tuesday, Feb. 24 , 2026 ,in Milan, Italy (Spada/LaPresse via AP)
Brugge's Joel Ordonez, background, celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the Champions League play-off second leg soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Club Brugge, in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Atletico Madrid's Alexander Sorloth, right, scored his side's third goal during the Champions League play-off second leg soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Club Brugge, in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Atletico Madrid's Alexander Sorloth celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Champions League play-off second leg soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Club Brugge, in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Atletico Madrid's Alexander Sorloth, center, celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Champions League play-off second leg soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Club Brugge, in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Bodø/Glimt's Sondre Brunstad Fet celebrates after scoring against Inter's Milan during a Champions League soccer match, Wednesday, Feb 18, 2026, in Bodo, Norway. (Mats Torbergsen/NTB Scanpix via AP)
Inter Milan head coach Cristian Chivu addresses the media following a Champions League soccer match against Bodø/Glimt, Wednesday, Feb 18, 2026, in Bodo, Norway. (Thomas Andersen/NTB Scanpix via AP)
Bodø/Glimt's Jens Petter Hauge (10) celebrates with teammates after scoring against Inter Milan during a Champions League soccer match, Wednesday, Feb 18, 2026, in Bodo, Norway. (Thomas Andersen/NTB Scanpix via AP)
Bodø/Glimt's Jens Petter Hauge celebrates after scoring against Inter Milan during a Champions League soccer match, Wednesday, Feb 18, 2026, in Bodo, Norway. (Thomas Andersen/NTB Scanpix via AP)
