BRADENTON, FL. — We got a first look at the 2025 Pirates on Monday, with the first full-squad workout in the books. It brings to a close an offseason that was pretty uneventful for the Bucs in terms of major roster moves. And though team leadership has faced its share of criticism for it, players entered the facility this morning optimistic about the road ahead.
“Once you get your full group and you get on the field, even though you’re just running through outfield drills and you’re just taking ground balls, it’s good to have the group together,” said Manager Derek Shelton.
SEE PHOTOS FROM SPRING TRAINING
With the first day of spring training comes a renewed sense of optimism for all 30 major league teams. For the Pirates, it’s about controlling what they can control -- and the devil is the details.
“We’ve got to do the small things right,” said designated hitter Andrew McCutchen. “That’s about winning ball games. We are not the LA Dodgers, nor will we be. It’s doing the small things. If you can do the small things really well and the cool thing about small things is, you can repeat it.”
It’s a fresh start for long-time Pirates and newcomers alike. Just a day after signing a one-year deal, outfielder Tommy Pham joined his new team in Bradenton. Pham hit a homerun during live batting practice to boot. Entering his 12th MLB season, he tells Channel 11 that one of the reasons he’s in Pittsburgh is because he sees potential.
“I didn’t know how good this team potentially was until I was playing against them last year,” said Pham. “I think this team is really close.”
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