Griffin's Debut, Pirates vs Orioles

0:00On April 3rd, Pittsburgh Pirates fans are buzzing like never before as their home opener hits PNC Park against the Baltimore Orioles, both teams, sitting at 3-3. The big news is the debut of 19-year-old shortstop Connor Griffin, the unanimous top prospect in baseball, stepping up to the majors for the first time tomorrow afternoon. Earlier this week, the pirates dropped the surprise announcement themselves with a quick video, and right after, reports hit that they're locking him. Down with a nine-year deal worth $140 million. That means Pittsburgh gets their homegrown star for the long haul, building on smart off-season grabs like Brandon Lowe, Ryan O'Hern, and others that. Already have the squad tied for the most home runs in the league. The vibe around town feels electric. The most hype since Paul Schien's debut last year, or even that while 2013 playoff run. After years of tough times under Ben Charrington, fans are sensing real momentum like back when Andrew McCutchen owned the National League.

1:01Meanwhile, the Orioles aren't sleeping. They revamped hard, too, snagging Peter Lanzo for power, Taylor Ward in a trade, pictures like Zach Eflin, Chris, Bassett, and Shane Boss, plus closer Ryan Helsley. This three-game set kicks off with Mitch Keller on the mound for Pittsburgh against Kyle Bradish, and key matchups like Griffin facing Boss on, Saturday. Two squads shedding old skins, reminding everyone what hope tastes like in the standings. First pitch Friday at 4.12 p.m. Eastern and Pittsburgh. Might just steal the spotlight before the NFL draft rolls in. Baseball news, powered by AI. This is MLB News Today.