Pirates Opening Day Roster Revealed
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have their full opening day roster, less than 24 hours before first pitch.
Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette revealed the roster on Twitter, which contains 26 players that are available for the opening series vs. the Miami Marlins on the road, starting March 27.
The Pirates will have a starting rotation of right-handed pitchers of reigning National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes, Mitch Keller and Carmen Mlodzinski, who they moved up from the bullpen.
Two left-handed pitchers join the starting rotation in Bailey Falter and Andrew Heaney, who signed a one-year, $5.25 million contract with incentives this offseason with the Pirates.
Pittsburgh also finalized its bullpen, keeping right-handers in David Bednar, Colin Holderman and Dennis Santana for another season. The other right-handed pitcher joining is Justin Lawrence, who they claimed off of waivers from the Colorado Rockies on March 1.
They also have left-handed pitchers in Ryan Borucki, Tim Mayza, Joey Wentz and Caleb Ferguson. Borucki is the only non-roster invite that eanred a spot on the 40-man roster and Wentz sticks around after a solid end to the 2024 season, after the Pirates claimed him off of waivers from the Detroit Tigers.
Ferguson signed a one-year, $3 million contract after spending last season with the New York Yankees and Houston Astros. Mayza also pitched with the Yankees last season on their way to the World Series.
The Pirates will have two catchers in Joey Bart and Endy Rodríguez. Bart will start at catcher, while Rodríguez returns from missing most of 2024 after suffering an injury during winter ball in the 2023 offseason and underwent reconstructive surgery on an ulnar collateral ligament (UCL).
Pittsburgh will have an infield consisting of Jared Triolo, Ke'Bryan Hayes, Nick Gonzalez, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Adam Frazier. Hayes will play third base, Gonzalez will play second base, Kiner Falefa is at shorstop, while Triolo will play some time at first base and around the infield.
The Pirates outfield includes Andrew McCutchen, Tommy Pham, Oneil Cruz, Bryan Reynolds, Ji Hwan Bae and Jack Suwinski.
Pham joined the Pirates on a one-year, $4 million deal as a free agent and will likely start in left field. Cruz will look to solidfy himself in center field and Reynolds will join in right field. Bae and Suwinski will serve as depth pieces.
Pittsburgh Pirates Opening Day Roster
Starting Pitchers
RHP Paul Skenes
RHP Mitch Keller
RHP Carmen Mlodzinski
LHP Andrew Heaney
LHP Bailey Falter
Bullpen
RHP David Bednar
RHP Colin Holderman
RHP Dennis Santana
RHP Justin Lawrence
LHP Joey Wentz
LHP Tim Mayza
LHP Caleb Ferguson
LHP Ryan Borucki
Catchers
Joey Bart
Endy Rodríguez
Infielders
Adam Frazier
Jared Triolo
Ke'Bryan Hayes
Nick Gonzales
Isiah Kiner-Falefa
Outfielders
Bryan Reynolds
Tommy Pham
Oneil Cruz
Andrew McCutchen
Ji Hwan Bae
Jack Suwinski
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.