It is a big day in Pittsburgh on Friday — and we mean big.
The Pirates open their home schedule today at PNC Park, welcoming the Baltimore Orioles for a three-game series. But the story going into this weekend isn’t just baseball — it’s the arrival of a generational talent.
The Pirates are calling up 19-year-old shortstop Konnor Griffin — the number one prospect in all of baseball — and he will make his MLB debut today in the home opener. And to make the day even more electric, the Pirates and Griffin are finalizing a nine-year, 140-million-dollar contract extension — the largest deal ever given to a player before his first major league appearance. Welcome to Pittsburgh, Konnor.
As for the series itself — Mitch Keller gets the ball today in game one against Baltimore’s Kyle Bradish, with first pitch at 4:12 — a nod to the 412 area code. Saturday it’s Carmen Mlodzinski versus Shane Baz at 4:05, and Sunday Braxton Ashcraft squares off against Chris Bassitt at 1:35.
Pittsburgh comes in riding a series sweep of Cincinnati. The bats are hot, the pitching is solid, and now the most talked-about prospect in baseball is suiting up at PNC Park.
What a day to be a Pirates fan.
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