PITTSBURGH, Pa (PTTP) — The seasons are changing. While most of the focus for Pittsburgh sports is on the National Football League (NFL) Draft, the Pirates have arrived to steal the stage this weekend, as they host their first series of the season at PNC Park against the Baltimore Orioles.
The Pirates have had a decent start to the season, sitting at .500 after going 1-2 against the New York Mets and 2-1 against the Cincinnati Reds. Ace pitcher Paul Skenes had a rough start to the year, opening his season with a one-inning performance, posting 40 pitches and an ERA of 67, though partly due to poor defense behind him. Skenes’ Wednesday was much better, with five innings pitched and just one run allowed. The big question for the year thus far has been the Pirates’ defense, specifically the performance of now center fielder Oniel Cruz, who has struggled immensely in the role to start the season. However, he has excelled offensively, responsible for three home runs in his first six games. The offense has not stopped there, either, as new second baseman Brandon Lowe has been on fire to get the year underway, also posting three moonshots to get the year started. The Pirates’ offense appears to be in a much better position than it was a season ago, giving fans hope for the year.
PNC Park has also announced some changes to the field in preparation for the 2026 campaign. New food options like the Heavy Hitter Dog, a foot-long corn dog topped with mustard and pico, and chipped ham fries will be added to the menu for various food stands around the park, and are accessible with the newly implemented grab-and-go system, allowing fans to order food directly to their seats. On top of that, the Bucco Bricks that once were a part of the sidewalks surrounding PNC Park have now been immortalized on bronze plaques around the stadium. The over 10,000 messages the bricks contained are now preserved on 60 plaques, making their return after the team removed them just last season, without any announcement.
Pirates starting pitcher Mitch Keller will open on Friday, April 3rd, for the Bucs’ first game of the series, with the first pitch scheduled for 4:12 p.m. EST. Fans are advised to arrive earlier than usual at the ballpark in April due to increased traffic from preparations for the upcoming NFL Draft.