The Pirates home opener at PNC Park is today. Here's what fans need to know before first pitch
The Pittsburgh Pirates are back in PNC Park on Friday afternoon when they'll begin their home schedule at, of course, 4:12 p.m. against the Baltimore Orioles.
Fans prepare for the return of the Pirates to PNC Park
There is a decent level of excitement this season with some of the Pirates' new additions, as the north shore buzzes with fans ahead of Friday's opener.
For some street vendors like Eric Parks -- on the North Shore, the return of the Bucs means bucks.
"Yeah – I usually sell pretty good," Parks said.
He and his wife have been selling peanuts, water, Gatorade, and other items outside the PNC Park since 2005, Parks said. They love what the Pirates' Home Opener does for business.
"Brings more crowd to the city," Parks said.
That included some Orioles fans like Corey Fabricante. He wanted to cross off PNC Park from his list – with the goal of visiting all 30 major league ballparks. Fabricante is visiting Pittsburgh for the game from Calvert County, Maryland.
"We were hoping to see Skenes pitch – but I guess we're going to miss out on that opportunity," he said.
Instead, Fabricante will most likely see MLB's top prospect, infielder Konnor Griffin, though. The 19-year-old just got called up Thursday – and is expected to make his major league debut against Baltimore Friday afternoon.
He's stoked about that – and so are many others, especially Pirates fans.
"The Pirates are doing unpirated things this year and getting bats and bringing people up," Anthony Coon of Uniontown said. "I'm excited."
Friday's home opener marks the start of a six-game homestand for the Pirates. They play a three-game series against the O's before the San Diego Padres visit Pittsburgh early next week for a three-game series.
Baseball's best prospect, Konnor Griffin, to debut on Friday
One of the biggest pieces of excitement for fans of the Buccos is the debut of 19-year-old, top prospect Konnor Griffin.
The team introduced him just mere hours before the game.
As the Pirates prepared for their home opener, many focused on the present and future, considering the likes of Griffin, Paul Skenes, Bubba Chandler, and others have joined the big squad. They represent a brighter future for a franchise that has not seen postseason action in more than a decade and hasn't won a World Series since 1979.
"This team is loaded," Griffin said. "I get to come in here and get to be a piece of this puzzle. There are a lot of guys that are on this roster who are doing great things for our team. I'm just thankful to join the group and try to contribute myself. These guys are warriors, and they're ready to win games, and I'm ready to do the same thing."
What's new at PNC Park this season?
Just as the team has new players on the field, new food is set to be sold at concession stands this season. The team said traditional Pittsburgh staples, including pierogies, kielbasa, and chipped ham, inspired many of the new items fans can try.
You can see a full gallery of the newest food items at this link.
