The calendar will soon flip to February, which means the dog days of winter are almost over and Pittsburgh Pirates baseball is right around the corner.
Pirates pitchers and catchers report to sunny Florida for spring training in less than two weeks, and the rest of their teammates won't be far behind. As we prepare for the most wonderful time of the year – when we finally get to watch and talk about real, actual baseball again – here are some important spring dates Pirates fans should mark in their calendars.
Pirates Spring Training Report Date, Location & Other Important Dates to Know this Spring
Pitchers and catchers report: Wednesday, Feb.12
National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes, top pitching prospect Bubba Chandler and the rest of the pitchers and catchers will descend upon the Pirates' complex in Bradenton in less than two weeks for the start of spring training.
First full-squad workout: Monday, Feb. 17
Five days later, the remaining members of the Pirates' 40-man roster and non-roster invitees join the pitchers and catchers for full-team workouts.
First spring training game: Saturday, Feb. 22 vs Baltimore Orioles
The Pirates will begin Grapefruit League play Feb. 22 with a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota. They return to Bradenton the following day to host the Minnesota Twins at LECOM Park.
Opening Day: Thursday, March 27 at Miami Marlins
The Pirates open the regular season on the road with a four-game series against the Miami Marlins. They will stay in Florida for a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays, who will be playing their 2025 season at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa after their home ballpark, Tropicana Field, sustained major damage in October due to Hurricane Milton.
Home opener: Friday, April 4 vs. New York Yankees
At long last, the Pirates will open up the home portion of their season with a big, three-game series against the New York Yankees beginning April 4 at 4:12 p.m. They will follow that with another three-game series at home against the St. Louis Cardinals.
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