MLB set to kick off 2023 season with Opening Day for all 30 teams
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Major League Baseball is back!
The Pirates will open their season this afternoon in Cincinnati with a three game series against the Reds.
You'll have to wait another week to see the Pirates in person at PNC Park, and when you tune in, you can expect some key changes on the field.
The league is trying to speed up the game and add more action and excitement for fans.
First, a pitch clock is being implemented. Pitchers will have 15 seconds to throw a pitch, 20 seconds when a runner is on base, and matters must be ready to hit by the time the clock reaches 8 seconds.
Second, goodbye to the infield shift! That means two players must be on each side of the infield. You can no longer move infielders to the outfield or to the other side of the infield to try and take away hits.
Lastly, the bases are getting bigger, by 3 inches. This will,, in theory, lead to more players attempting to steal bases, speed up the game, and help reduce collisions.
When you arrive at PNC Park for a Pirates game this season, you'll notice some changes at the ballpark.
That includes a brand new scoreboard, which is 60 feet wider than the old version.
There will also be new ribbon boards around the park, new technology at the gates to speed up the entry process, a refurbished kids' play area, and self-ordering kiosks at the food court.
And a fan favorite will be back on the field this season -- as Potato Pete with his signature dark blue cap will once again be on the pierogi-racing roster.
Now, questions are still swirling this morning on if and how you'll be able to watch the Pirates from home.
Warner Brothers Discovery, which owns AT&T Sportsnet is getting out of the regional sports business.
The company reportedly set a deadline for tomorrow, March 31, for teams to negotiate a return of their rights.
So far, there's no word on either side of how negotations are going.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has been on the record saying that the league will take over broadcasts for the short term if networks fail.
He hasn't clarified whether games will be broadcasted on TV or if they'll be streamed online.
