Pittsburgh Pirates prepare for 25th season at PNC Park

PITTSBURGH — On Friday, Pittsburgh Pirates fans are hoping to raise the Jolly Roger for their season home opener against the New York Yankees as they kick off their 25th season at PNC Park. This year, there’s a lot to be excited about as Paul Skenes, Oneil Cruz, and the rest of the Pirates take the field.

But before they do, a lot of prep is done in the months leading up to the home opener to get this baseball diamond sparkling.

“We also use growth blankets in mid-February to really heat up our soil temps and try to kickstart the grass, and you see the results now with just how green it is,” said Matt Brown, director of field operations. “It’s kind of our two acres of bliss out here.”

Another recent improvement: moving the team store and expanding it significantly, creating space for a large selection of Pirates merchandise. That includes bringing back experiences that many remember from decades past.

“With all of these, the goal is to have a connection, to have a connection to the fans,” said Terry Walcutt, Fanatics PNC Park general manager.

But nothing brings Pittsburghers together more than food. Several new menu items are available this year, from chipped ham empanadas, Polish cannonballs, and even fried almond torte, creations that signify a labor of love for Aramark’s senior executive chef Gabor Kovats.

>>> New food options at PNC Park unveiled for 2025 Pirates season

‘[We want to] stay true to Pittsburgh and heritage, food heritage of Pittsburgh,” Kovats said.

The ceremonial first pitch is set for 4:12 p.m. on Friday and will be thrown by Marc Fogel, the Pittsburgh-area native who just returned from Russia after being detained by authorities for three-and-a-half years

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