The Pirates’ 2017 spring training schedule, released this morning, includes an exhibition game March 8 against the Dominican Republic’s World Baseball Classic team and concludes with exhibition games March 31 and April 1 against the Toronto Blue Jays at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium.
Grapefruit League games will begin earlier than usual because of the World Baseball Classic. The Pirates’ 32-game spring schedule begins with a split-squad day Feb. 25 against the Baltimore Orioles in Bradenton, Fla., and against the Tampa Bay Rays in Port Charlotte, Fla.
The Pirates have three off days — March 14, March 22, March 30 — and only one schedule split-squad day.
The Pirates will play 18 games at McKechnie Field in Bradenton. They will host the Orioles four times, the Rays three times and the Minnesota Twins and the Blue Jays twice. The Pirates’ road schedule includes three trips to play the Rays in Port Charlotte, Fla., and two road games apiece against the Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox and Orioles.
Spring training game tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Jan. 21 at pirates.com/springtraining.
Here is the Pirates’ complete spring training schedule:
Saturday, Feb. 25 vs. Baltimore Orioles, 1:05 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 25 at Tampa Bay Rays, 1:05 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 26 at Baltimore Orioles, 1:05 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 27 at Toronto Blue Jays, 1:07 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 28 vs. Toronto Blue Jays, 1:05 p.m.
Wednesday, March 1 at Minnesota Twins, 1:05 p.m.
Thursday, March 2 at Detroit Tigers, 1:05 p.m.
Friday, March 3 vs. Baltimore Orioles, 1:05 p.m.
Saturday, March 4 vs. Boston Red Sox, 1:05 p.m.
Sunday, March 5 at New York Yankees, 1:05 p.m.
Monday, March 6 vs. New York Yankees, 1:05 p.m.
Tuesday, March 7 vs. Atlanta Braves, 1:05 p.m.
Wednesday, March 8 vs. Dominican Republic, 1:05 p.m.
Thursday, March 9, at Tampa Bay Rays, 1:05 p.m.
Friday, March 10 vs. Tampa Bay Rays, 1:05 p.m.
Saturday, March 11 at Baltimore Orioles, 1:05 p.m.
Sunday, March 12 vs. Minnesota Twins (ss), 1:05 p.m.
Monday, March 13 at Atlanta Braves, 1:05 p.m.
Tuesday, March 14 OFF DAY
Wednesday, March 15 vs. Baltimore Orioles, 1:05 p.m.
Thursday, March 16 at Boston Red Sox, 6:05 p.m.
Friday, March 17 vs. Baltimore Orioles, 1:05 p.m.
Saturday, March 18 at Philadelphia Phillies, 1:05 p.m.
Sunday, March 19 vs. Toronto Blue Jays, 1:05 p.m.
Monday, March 20 at Tampa Bay Rays, 1:05 p.m.
Tuesday, March 21 vs. Tampa Bay Rays, 1:05 p.m.
Wednesday, March 22 OFF DAY
Thursday, March 23 at Boston Red Sox, 1:05 p.m.
Friday, March 24 vs. Tampa Bay Rays, 1:05 p.m.
Saturday, March 25 vs. Detroit Tigers, 1:05 p.m.
Sunday, March 26 at Philadelphia Phillies, 1:05 p.m.
Monday, March 27 vs. Minnesota Twins, 6:05 p.m.
Tuesday, March 28 vs. Boston Red Sox, 6:05 p.m.
Wednesday, March 29 vs. Philadelphia Phillies (ss), 1:05 p.m.
Thursday, March 30 OFF DAY
Friday, March 31 vs. Toronto Blue Jays (in Montreal), 7:07 p.m.
Saturday, April 1 vs. Toronto Blue Jays (in Montreal), 1:07 p.m.
Stephen J. Nesbitt: snesbitt@post-gazette.com and Twitter @stephenjnesbitt.
First Published: November 1, 2016, 2:28 p.m.
