Pirates vs Mets: Skenes vs Benge in Season Opener

0:00On March 26, the Pittsburgh Pirates kick off their season Thursday against the New York Metts at City Field with reigning National League-Sai Young. Winner Paul Schienz taking the mound in a nationally televised matchup. The 23-year-old right-hander has big ambitions, aiming straight for the division title and playoffs without setting any limits on wins. Facing him will be Freddie Peralta, the two-time all-star making his Metts debut after a trade from Milwaukee. Meanwhile, the Metts have completely rebuilt their lineup after a late season collapse kept them out of the playoffs last year. They brought in stars like Juan Soto, shifting to left field, Boba Shet, moving to third base, and newcomers such as Jorge Polanco at first, and Luis Robert Jr. in center. The high-spin and club traded away fan favorites to chase their first world series in 40 years. Pirates players are buzzing with better energy this spring, thanks to off-season additions like second-basement brand-in-low designated hitter Marcel.

1:01Ozuna and Outfield are Ryan O'Hern to fix their week-office from last season. Young shortstop prospect Connor Griffin, just 19 and baseball's top-ranked talent, could join them in the major soon. Schienz called it a good team ready to prove itself. On the Metts side, 23-year-old prospect Carson Benj, earns the right-field spot for his big league debut after a fast minor league climb, stepping up against Schienz who posted a league-leading 1.97 earned run average last year with 216 strikeouts. Manager Carlos Mendoza praised Benj's maturity for handling the pressure right away. Both squads wrapped workouts, Wednesday and Queens, finalizing rosters with a mix of veterans and fresh faces. As the Pirates build momentum and the Metts reload for a title run, all eyes turn to this opener that could set the tone for the whole season. That's your update from MLB News Today, powered by AI. I'm Corey with The Story.