With Oracle Park set to host the 2028 All-Star Game, Pirates fans have every reason to start asking the next obvious question: what about PNC Park?
Pittsburgh’s ballpark keeps landing on lists of baseball’s prettiest venues for a reason. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale called it the “most gorgeous” stadium in America just last week, and the setting does a lot of the heavy lifting. The skyline, the view, the energy on Federal Street - it all gives PNC Park the kind of stage presence that belongs in the sport’s biggest showcase.
There’s also a practical opening now. San Francisco last hosted the All-Star Game in 2007, and Pittsburgh’s most recent turn came a year later. With the Giants getting 2028, PNC Park should be right back in the conversation for 2029.
That year carries a built-in storyline for the Pirates, too. In 2029, the franchise will mark the 50th anniversary of the “We Are Family” 1979 World Series team, still the club’s latest title and one of the most recognizable teams the game has ever seen.
It’s not hard to picture what that weekend could look like. Bert Blyleven and John Candelaria could be trading stories with Paul Skenes and Jared Jones.
Tim Foli could be talking shortstop with Konnor Griffin. And with 20 members of that 1979 team still alive, the chances for reunion and reflection are right there.
The fans would have their moment as well. Pittsburgh’s supporters don’t often get a national spotlight because of the team’s long run of struggles, but when they do, they leave an impression.
The Johnny Cueto game still gets plenty of replay time, but that’s not the whole picture. There’s warmth there, too, and joy.
And the city has already shown it can handle a major event. The NFL Draft proved that Pittsburgh can host on a big stage. If MLB brings the All-Star Game to PNC Park, it would fit the ballpark, the city, and the moment.
In Other News...
Pirates Outfield Depth Just Got More Concerning Behind Current Starters
The Pirates outfield picture took another hit Wednesday when Jhostynxon Garcia landed on the 7-day injured list with Triple-A Indianapolis. Garcia is already on Pittsburghs 40-man roster, so even an issue at the minor-league level carries some weight for a team that has been trying to keep enough healthy options in the pipeline. It comes at a time when the organization is still sorting through its outfield mix and trying to avoid any more thin spots.
Pittsburgh only recently got center fielder Oneil Cruz back from the 60-day injured list, which helped stabilize the group at the big-league level. Even so, the depth behind him remains a talking point with Bryan Reynolds, Esmerlyn Valdez and Jake Mangum among the other outfielders on the roster. Garcias setback does not solve any of the questions hanging over the group, and it leaves the Pirates watching another layer of their depth chart a little more closely. [Read more 🡒]
Paul Skenes Recent Struggles May Come Down To One Fix
Paul Skenes has looked a little out of sync lately, and one former big leaguer thinks the explanation may be hiding in the delivery itself. Dan Plesac broke down Skenes mechanics on MLB Network and pointed to an issue that can snowball fast for a pitcher with elite stuff: Skenes is opening up too early, which leaves his arm playing catch-up and can sap both velocity and command.
For the Pirates, the encouraging part is that this does not sound like a major overhaul so much as a small adjustment with a clear target. Plesac framed it as a fix that is minor and achievable, which matters when a young arm is working through a rough patch and the margin for error is so thin. If Skenes can clean that up, the recent downturn might look less like a trend and more like a temporary mechanical hiccup. [Read more 🡒]
Jared Triolo Is Giving The Pirates Hope They Desperately Need
The Pirates have spent August searching for bright spots, and a few younger names have helped keep the conversation from turning completely sour. Rookie catcher Rafael Flores Jr., center fielder Jake Magnum, and pitchers Bubba Chandler and Mason Montgomery have all offered some encouraging production, while Jared Triolo has stood out as the most intriguing case of all. Known first for his glove as a Gold Glove winner, Triolo has shown a noticeably better approach at the plate this month, giving a frustrated club at least a little reason to believe there is something to build on.
Still, the shape of Triolos recent surge leaves some doubt about how long it can hold. His struggles against the Boston Red Sox served as a reminder that the league will keep testing him, and his history of uneven month-to-month performance suggests this kind of offensive stretch has not always lasted. The numbers behind his contact quality point to possible regression, which makes him less a finished answer than a player whose next few weeks could tell the Pirates plenty about whether this is real progress or just a temporary lift. [Read more 🡒]