Pittsburgh Pirates To Play in 2019 MLB Little League Classic

The Pittsburgh Pirates played in Williamsport in 2017.  The game is now an annual thing inline with the Little League World Series.  The Bucs will play there again in 2019.

Last year, the Pittsburgh Pirates were part of a new Major League Baseball tradition.  The league decided to make Major League Baseball part of the most popular Little League Baseball tournament in the World.

Really, it was a great idea by Major League Baseball to combine the two events.  The game itself is not open to the public, but rather the contenting Little League teams players, coaches, and families.  It is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the kids to meet and interact with players they look up to.

The Little League World Series has been one of the most popular sporting events of the summer over the last decade or so.   Every year fans of baseball, especially kids, tune in to ESPN during August to see some of the most talented little league baseball players in the world compete against others across the World.  The games are held at Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

With it being such a draw for baseball fans across the United States, and World for that matter, Major League Baseball decided to part take in the annual event.  Last year, the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals got to play head to head as part of the event.  The game was not an exhibition, but actually part of the big league team’s schedule.  The now annual game has taken on the name as the “MLB Little League Classic”. This year the game was between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets.

Well, last night it was announced by Major League Baseball that the Pittsburgh Pirates would be returning to Williamsport in 2019.  The Bucs will be joined by their division rival Chicago Cubs.  The game will be on Sunday, August 19th.  Like the last two MLB Little League Classic, the game will be aired by ESPN.

This game could be of great importance.  The Pittsburgh Pirates are showing the potential this year to be one of the better teams in the National League next year.  Their very young pitching staff has improved vastly this year.  The team could have a great 1-2 in Jameson Taillon and Chris Archer next year to lead them, along with Joe Musgrove and Trevor Williams who look to be really strong middle of the rotation arms.

The bullpen also looks to be solidified for the next few years with Felipe Vazquez, Keone Kela, Edgar Santana, and Kyle Crick.  Hopefully, the lineup will see young players like Josh Bell, Elias Diaz, and Colin Moran take a step forward to go along with Starling Marte and Corey Dickerson.

If so, the game as Williamsport could have a lot of relevance on and off the field.