The Pittsburgh Pirates begin Grapefruit League play in 2026.
The Pirates will take on the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Field in Sarasota, Fla. with first ptich set for 1:05 p.m. This starts a 31-game slate through March 23, where they'll face numerous teams in Florida before they begin regular season play.
Pittsburgh is going with a few recognizable names on their Grapefruit League Opening Day lineup vs. the Orioles. This includesRight-hander Wilber Dotel is also the starting pitcher for the Pirates, coming off a strong season where he pitched all of 2025 with Double-A Altoona.The Pirates will have a total of 31 players on their travel roster, with 10 pitchers and 21 position players.Nov 9, 2025; Mesa, AZ, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez during the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Pittsburgh also has 10 minor league players on the travel roster, including seven pitchers, who aren't in Major League Camp, but can still play in Grapefruit League games. Two minor league players to keep an eye on include right-handed pitcher David Matoma and catcher Axiel Plaz, two of the better prospects not in Major League Camp. Matoma signed with the Pirates out of Uganda and heads into his fourth season with the franchise, spending all of 2025 with Single-A Bradenton. Plaz was with both Bradenton and High-A Greensboro, but also featured in the Arizona Fall League.Make sure to visit Pirates OnSI for the latest news, updates, interviews and insight on the Pittsburgh Pirates!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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