Opening Day Preview: Pirates Triumph Over Marlins

Breaking down the Pittsburgh Pirates' matchup against the Miami Marlins, their first game of the 2025 season.
Schuyler Callihan|
Sep 22, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates designated hitter Andrew McCutchen (22) stands on deck in the eighth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
Sep 22, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates designated hitter Andrew McCutchen (22) stands on deck in the eighth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

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Pittsburgh Pirates

Opening Day is finally here, and for the second straight season, the Pittsburgh Pirates will open up their 162-game journey in Miami against the Marlins.

As announced earlier this month, National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes will get the ball for the Bucs and will face off against two-time All-Star and 2022 Cy Young award winner Sandy Alcantara.

Game Preview

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Sep 29, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Endy Rodriguez (25) hits a single against the Miami Marlins during the sixth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Veteran free agent acquisition Tommy Pham will lead things off for the Pirates despite having a far-from-ideal spring where he went 8-for-46 at the dish.

Many eyes will be on Endy Rodriguez as he will get the starting nod at first base and will likely get an extended look there with catcher Joey Bart continuing to mash and Spencer Horwitz starting the season on the injured list. The 24-year-old missed the entire 2024 season with an elbow injury which required surgery. It was a small sample size, but the once top-rated prospect appeared to return to form in the spring, batting .290 in 40 plate appearances to go with one homer and six RBI.

Miami will hope to get at least a strong five innings out of Alcantara, who has had his way with the Bucs throughout his career. In six games (five starts) vs. Pittsburgh, Alcantara has an ERA of 2.91 and has punched out 33 batters while walking 13.

Prediction

Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Mar 11, 2025; Bradenton, Florida, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) throws a pitch during the third inning against the New York Yankees at LECOM Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The Pirates' lack of offense will be an issue deeper into the year, but for whatever reason, Derek Shelton's clubs have swung the bats well enough, for their standards, to begin each of the last two seasons.

With Skenes and Alcantara on the bump, this should be a relatively low-scoring affair. With Alcantara coming off of Tommy John, the Marlins are going to be extremely careful with his workload. Pittsburgh gets the Marlins bullpen in the middle innings and takes their eighth straight over the fish, winning 4-3.

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Schuyler Callihan
SCHUYLER CALLIHAN

Schuyler Callihan is the publisher of West Virginia On SI and has been a trusted source covering the Mountaineers since 2016. He is the host of Between The Eers, The Walk Thru Game Day Show, and In the Gun Podcast. The Wheeling, WV native moved to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2020 to cover the Charlotte Hornets and Carolina Panthers.

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