5 things to watch at Pirates’ home opener

Although fans have had a peek at the 2019 Pittsburgh Pirates, Monday is the first time many will get to see the team in person.

The Pirates split two games in Cincinnati to start the season, and that showed a tiny sample of what most expect of the Pirates this season: a .500-ish team that should get good starting pitching but has questions on offense.

Whatever questions the Pirates — or MLB as a whole — have about attendance, the home opener is typically immune from worry. Pirates icons Steve Blass and Dick Groat are among those who will be part of the pregame ceremony this year, but what else can fans look for Monday at PNC Park? Here are five things:

1. Arch-ing orders

This will be a second PNC Park Pirates debut, of sorts, for Chris Archer — though it sounds as if Archer is just as excited to pitch his first home opener with the team as he was to make his black-and-gold debut last August.

While he might be hoping for a better individual performance (Archer allowed five runs — three earned — against St. Louis on Aug. 3, 2018), Archer would take another Pirates win. Most would call him a key to the team’s season. It would be a good sign to get off to a good start.

2. Redbird Rivals

It’s comically early in the season, of course. But with the Pirates already underdogs in what is expected to be perhaps baseball’s best division, even the April games against NL Central opponents carry added significance. And no team has beaten the Pirates more often at PNC Park than the Cardinals (86, counting playoffs).

The Cardinals have won the NL Central twice as often (10) as the team with the second-most division titles since its inception. There have been times over the past two-plus decades that the likes of Tony La Russa, Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols seemingly have toyed with the Pirates.

It’s only one game, but beating St. Louis in the home opener would be sweet for the Pirates and their fans.

3. Kang’s return

It has been 915 days since Jung Ho Kang last played a game at PNC Park.

The South Korean slugger became a fan favorite over his first two seasons with the Pirates, but off-the-field problems stalled his burgeoning MLB career.

At Pirates Fest in January at PNC Park, Kang said fans were warm and welcoming toward him. After the Pirates declined his 2019 option, Kang re-signed at a lower rate, and he expressed a desire to “make good” with the team and the city.

Perhaps the most pivotal player to the Pirates’ 2019 offense, Kang would do well to have a strong return to PNC Park.

4. Gonzo’s debut

It won’t come with the fanfare of Archer’s PNC Park debut last August, and it might not even register as much as other recent offseason acquisitions such as Russell Martin or Francisco Liriano. But while former Cleveland Indians shortstop Erik Gonzalez isn’t likely to win any Silver Slugger awards, the Pirates are smitten with his defense.

Will Gonzalez put his outstanding range on display for his new fans by making some sort of jaw-dropping play? Will the Opening Day crowd be savvy enough to recognize the significance of it if so?

The likeable and steady Jordy Mercer was the starting shortstop for three playoff teams and seemed to always make the dependable play. But it hasn’t been since Jack Wilson was traded a decade ago that the PNC Park fans had an everyday shortstop who regularly could bring a “wow” factor in the field.

5. It’s all fun and games

At some times more than others — and for better or worse — the Pirates have tended to market their holistic ballpark experience more so than the on-field product. Even when the baseball product is expected to be a good one (as some predict for 2019), this shouldn’t take away from getting to know what’s new at PNC Park in a given season.

Be it the unique food offerings (a waffle cone filled with kielbasa and sauerkraut, anyone?) or the new scoreboard graphics and between-innings features, every Opening Day has its own unique seasonal traditions to adjust to.

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