Pirates Reveal 2026 Spring Training Schedule

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced their Spring Training schedule for the 2026 season.
Dominic Campbell|
The scoreboard at LECOM Park displays a screen from the ABS challenge system, indicating the path of the challenged pitch and the strike zone for the individual player. Major League Baseball is testing an Automated Ball-Stike (ABS) challenge system at select spring training parks. The system allows players to challenge a limited number of ball/stike calls during a game. Calls can be overturned if the pitch tracking technology shows an umpire got a call wrong.
The scoreboard at LECOM Park displays a screen from the ABS challenge system, indicating the path of the challenged pitch and the strike zone for the individual player. Major League Baseball is testing an Automated Ball-Stike (ABS) challenge system at select spring training parks. The system allows players to challenge a limited number of ball/stike calls during a game. Calls can be overturned if the pitch tracking technology shows an umpire got a call wrong. | Mike Lang / Sarasota Herald-Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Pittsburgh Pirates

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates are still in the early days of the offseason, but already have their schedule for Spring Training, which starts in less than four months.

Important Pirates Spring Training Schedule Dates

The Pirates have a 31-game slate for their Grapefruit League schedule, which starts on Feb. 21 and goes through to March 23.

This includes 16 games at their home ball park, LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla., and 15 games on the road.

They open up their season with a trip to Sarasota against the Baltimore Orioles on Feb. 21 and also host the Tampa Bay Rays in their home opener on Feb. 22.

Other important dates see them host the New York Yankees on Feb. 23 and then embark on an overnight trip to the east coast of Florida, facing the Houston Astros in West Palm Beach on Feb. 28 and the St. Louis Cardinals in Jupiter on March 1.

This marks the first overnight trip for the Pirates in Spring Training since they faced the Montreal Expos in Jupiter, March 31-April 1, 2000. It is also the first east coast trip for them in Spring Training since they took on the Washington Nationals in Viera on March 2, 2006.

The Pirates will also play host to Team Colombia, who are playing in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, at LECOM Park on March 3. This marks the fourth time the Pirates have faced a team in the World Baseball Classic, including the Netherlands in 2009, Spain in 2013 and the Dominican Republic in 2017.

Pittsburgh also hosts St. Louis on March 5, the first time doing so since March 29, 1998, the first season for St. Louis in Jupiter for Spring Training.

Pittsburgh Pirates Bryan Reynolds LECOM Park Spring Training
Mar 18, 2025; Bradenton, Florida, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Bryan Reynolds (10) signs autographs before the start of the game against the Philadelphia Phillies during spring training at LECOM Park. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

The Pirates then host the Astros on March 17, the first time they've hosted their former National League Central Division rival in Spring Training since March 6, 2016.

Pittsburgh has their Spring Breakout Game against the Detroit Tigers at home on March 20, which is also a spit day vs. the Atlanta Braves on the road. This features the Pirates best prospects against the Tigers best prospects, giving them a chance to show their potential ahead of the minor league season.

Pittsburgh closes out Grapefruit League play, as they host the Braves on March 23. They then open their regular season against the New York Mets at Citi Field on March 26.

Pirates Grapefruit League/Spring Training Schedule

Feb. 21-Baltimore Orioles (Road)
*Feb. 22-Tampa Bay Rays (Home)/Philadelphia Phillies (Road)
Feb. 23-New York Yankees (Home)
Feb. 24-Boston Red Sox (Road)
Feb. 25-Atlanta Braves (Road)
Feb. 26-Minnesota Twins (Home)
Feb. 27-Baltimore Orioles (Home)
Feb. 28-Houston Astros (Road)
March 1-St. Louis Cardinals (Road)
March 2-Tampa Bay Rays (Home)
March 3-Team Colombia (Home) (World Baseball Classic)
March 5-St. Louis Cardinals (Home)
*March 6-Philadelphia Phillies (Home)/Toronto Blue Jays (Road)
March 7-Detroit Tigers (Road)
March 8-Boston Red Sox (Home)
March 9-New York Yankees (Road)
March 11-Baltimore Orioles (Road)
March 12-Atlanta Braves (Home)
March 13-Detroit Tigers (Road)
March 14-Baltimore Orioles (Home)
March 15-Tampa Bay Rays (Road)
March 16-Minnesota Twins (Road)
March 17-Houston Astros (Home)
March 18-Detroit Tigers (Home)
March 19-Baltimore Orioles (Road)
*March 20-Atlanta Braves (Road)/Detroit Tigers (Home) (Breakout Game)
March 21-Toronto Blue Jays (Home)
March 22-Boston Red Sox (Home)
March 23-Atlanta Braves (Home)

What Makes Spring Training Important

The Pirates head into the 2026 season with high expectations, especially with a strong pitching staff, that showed it is amongst the best in baseball.

NL Cy Young Finalist Paul Skenes leads the way for a Pirates rotation containing veterans in Mitch Keller and Johan Oviedo, plus rookies in Braxton Ashcraft, Hunter Barco, Mike Burrows and Bubba Chandler.

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes
Sep 16, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) pitches against the Chicago Cubs during the third inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Pirates also have a strong bullpen with the likes of Justin Lawrence, Isaac Mattson, Carmen Mlodzinski and Dennis Santana, that thrived in high-leverage situations.

Spring Training is most important for the Pirates as they try and build a better offense for 2026, after serving as one of the worst hitting teams in baseball this past season.

The Pirates also use this time to find which prospects and fringe players are fighting for a spot on the Opening Day Roster.

Konnor Griffin, who became the top prospect in baseball in 2025, is one player that fans and Pirates front office people will keep an eye on during this time, figuring out where he should start next campaign.

Make sure to visit Pirates OnSI for the latest news, updates, interviews and insight on the Pittsburgh Pirates

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

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.

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