With absolutely nothing left to play for in 2025, the bottom-dwelling Pittsburgh Pirates shifted their focus to the 2026 season quite a while ago. After Tuesday's MLB schedule release, that focus just got even more real.
The Pirates will begin the 2026 season on the road against the New York Mets on March 26, the earliest start to a season in franchise history. From there, they'll head to Cincinnati for a three-game series against the Reds before returning to PNC Park for their home opener against the Baltimore Orioles on April 3 – their second home opener against the Orioles in the last three seasons.