The Pittsburgh Pirates kick off the 2023 season in an intradivision matchup on Opening Day against the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, March 30. The bottom dwellers of the top-heavy NL Central aren't expected to change their positions much this year, but a handful of young players on both teams could speed up the rebuilds, if their respective front offices will allow it. For now, success is about experience more than wins.
Other information on the Pirates vs. Reds, including live stream details, is below.
Pirates vs. Reds
Date: Thursday, March 30 | Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Location: Great American Ball Park - Cincinnati, Ohio
Live stream: fuboTV (try for free), MLB.TV | TV: AT&T SportsNet PIT, Bally Sports Ohio
Probable pitchers: RHP Mitch Keller (PIT) vs. RHP Hunter Greene (CIN)
Odds: PIT +118; CIN -140; O/U: 8.5 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Storylines
Pirates: After back-to-back 100-loss seasons, you'd like to think the Pirates can only go up from here. That may or may not be true, but if it is, it'll be thanks to incumbent youngsters like Oneil Cruz, Mitch Keller and Ke'Bryan Hayes and maybe even top prospects like Henry Davis and Endy Rodriguez. Then there's Bryan Reynolds, who is still a Pirate despite a public plea to, well, no longer be a Pirate. Will he be part of a trade deadline selloff to further the teardown and rebuild? Or is he doomed to lurk PNC forever?
Reds: Like the Pirates, the Reds have a roster full of young players dreaming of a future that doesn't see them in the basement of their division. In particular, a trio of young starting pitchers — Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo and Graham Ashcraft — are all going into their second seasons, as is hotshot closer Alexis Diaz, who looks and pitches an awful lot like older brother Edwin. On the other side of the ball, the Reds are, let's say, lacking. Joey Votto is starting the year on the IL and there's no promise he'll be able to get back to his All-Star self. Jonathan India is supposedly healthy this time. Wil Myers got MVP votes in 2020 with the Padres. Is that talent still there for the former Rookie of the Year?
