{"id":169907,"date":"2026-03-27T09:01:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T09:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=169907"},"modified":"2026-03-27T09:01:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T09:01:00","slug":"mets-vs-pirates-at-citi-field-official-game-time-confirmed-starters-live-viewing-info-and-can-pittsburgh-bounce-back-after-opening-day-loss-ll-%f0%9f%91%87%f0%9f%91%87","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=169907","title":{"rendered":"\u201cMets vs Pirates at Citi Field: Official Game Time, Confirmed Starters, Live Viewing Info, and Can Pittsburgh Bounce Back After Opening Day Loss?\u201d.ll \ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47"},"content":{"rendered":"

\ud83d\udcf0 MLB Preview: Mets vs Pirates \u2013 Citi Field (Game on March 28, 2026)<\/h1>\n

\u26be Match Overview<\/h2>\n

The New York Mets<\/strong> host the Pittsburgh Pirates<\/strong> in Game 2 of their Opening Series<\/strong> at Citi Field<\/strong> in Queens, New York. After winning the Opening Day matchup 11\u20137 behind a strong offensive performance, the Mets look to build on that momentum, while the Pirates aim to rebound and stay competitive in the early part of the 2026 season.<\/p>\n

\n

\u23f0 Official Game Time (U.S. Only)<\/h2>\n

\"Mets<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Date:<\/strong> March 28, 2026<\/li>\n
  • First Pitch:<\/strong> 4:10 PM (ET)<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • Venue:<\/strong> Citi Field, Queens, NY<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
    \n

    \ud83c\udfaf Confirmed Starting Pitchers<\/h2>\n

    For Game 2 of the series:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Mets:<\/strong> Likely David Peterson<\/strong> (LHP) or Nolan McLean<\/strong> (RHP) \u2013 rotation based on early-season plan<\/li>\n
    • Pirates:<\/strong> Carmen Mlodzinski<\/strong> (RHP) \u2013 named the Pirates\u2019 fifth starter for this game<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      \ud83d\udc49 Official starters will be confirmed closer to first pitch.<\/p>\n

      \n

      \ud83d\udcca Series Context<\/h2>\n
        \n
      • Opening Day (Game 1):<\/strong> Mets 11 \u2013 7 Pirates<\/strong> at Citi Field\n
          \n
        • Mets\u2019 offense showed balance with multiple contributors<\/li>\n
        • Pirates\u2019 pitching struggled early, giving Mets the lead<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Game 2 presents a chance for the Pirates to bounce back and for the Mets to seize an early 2\u20130 lead in the series.<\/p>\n

          \n

          \ud83d\udcc8 Team Form<\/h2>\n

          \ud83d\udd35 New York Mets<\/h3>\n

          Following a big Opening Day win, the Mets\u2019 offense has shown depth and a mix of veteran power and young talent.<\/p>\n

          Strengths:<\/strong><\/p>\n

            \n
          • Balanced lineup with contact, power, and speed<\/li>\n
          • Improved roster construction<\/li>\n
          • Hitting threats throughout the order<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
            \n

            \u26ab Pittsburgh Pirates<\/h3>\n

            Despite the rough start, the Pirates remain a club with young pitching and offensive talent. They enter Game 2 focused on tightening their approach and limiting Mets\u2019 hitters early.<\/p>\n

            Strengths:<\/strong><\/p>\n

              \n
            • Emerging arms and athletic roster<\/li>\n
            • Ability to score if opportunities arise<\/li>\n
            • Fighting to regain momentum after a setback<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
              \n

              \ud83e\uddfe Projected Lineups (2026)<\/h2>\n

              \"Watch<\/p>\n

              \ud83d\udd35 Mets (Opening Series talent pool)<\/h3>\n
                \n
              • Juan Soto<\/strong> (OF)<\/li>\n
              • Bo Bichette<\/strong> (INF)<\/li>\n
              • Luis Robert Jr.<\/strong> (OF)<\/li>\n
              • Carson Benge<\/strong> (OF)<\/li>\n
              • Francisco Alvarez<\/strong> (C)<\/li>\n
              • Brett Baty<\/strong> (INF)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                Rotation arms include:<\/strong> Freddy Peralta, David Peterson, Nolan McLean, Kodai Senga, Clay Holmes (bullpen)<\/p>\n

                \n

                \u26ab Pirates<\/h3>\n
                  \n
                • Paul Skenes<\/strong> (started Game 1)<\/li>\n
                • Bryan Reynolds<\/strong> (OF)<\/li>\n
                • Brandon Lowe<\/strong> (2B)<\/li>\n
                • Oneil Cruz<\/strong> (CF)<\/li>\n
                • Marcell Ozuna<\/strong> (DH)<\/li>\n
                • Carmen Mlodzinski<\/strong> (RHP \u2013 starter for this game)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                  \n

                  \ud83e\udde0 Expert Analysis<\/h2>\n

                  Tactical Breakdown<\/h3>\n
                    \n
                  • Mets:<\/strong> Balanced batting order backed by proven contact and situational hitting; effective middle relief to bridge starter to late-inning bullpen.<\/li>\n
                  • Pirates:<\/strong> Must keep the ball in the yard and rely on young arms to stay competitive; speed and situational at-bats will be key.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                    Key Questions<\/h3>\n
                      \n
                    1. Can the Pirates find early pitching success to contain the Mets\u2019 offense?<\/li>\n
                    2. Will the Mets\u2019 rotation maintain momentum after a big offensive outing?<\/li>\n
                    3. Which team will control the pace and capitalize on early-run opportunities?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                      \n

                      \ud83d\udd2e Prediction<\/h2>\n
                        \n
                      • Mets win probability:<\/strong> ~55\u201360%<\/li>\n
                      • Pirates win probability:<\/strong> ~40\u201345%
                        \ud83d\udc49 Projected score: Mets 5 \u2013 3 Pirates<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                        \n

                        \ud83d\udcfa How to Watch Live<\/h2>\n
                          \n
                        • MLB.TV<\/strong> \u2013 official MLB platform (subscription required)<\/li>\n
                        • NBC\/Peacock<\/strong> \u2013 National broadcast (may vary by market)<\/li>\n
                        • Regional Sports Networks<\/strong> \u2013 Local coverage for Mets fans<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                          \n

                          \ud83c\udfdf\ufe0f Citi Field Factor<\/h2>\n

                          Citi Field is moderately friendly to hitters with spacious outfield gaps, giving offenses an edge if they string hits together. Wind conditions and early-season weather can also influence ball carry.<\/p>\n

                          \n

                          \u2705 Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n
                            \n
                          • The Mets enter Game 2 with momentum and offensive confidence after a high-scoring opener.<\/li>\n
                          • The Pirates will look for adjustments, especially in pitching, to avoid falling into an early series hole.<\/li>\n
                          • Expect a competitive game with opportunities for both teams, but the Mets have a slight edge due to lineup depth and home-field comfort.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                            \ud83d\udcf0 MLB Preview: Mets vs Pirates \u2013 Citi Field (Game on March 28, 2026) \u26be Match Overview The New York Mets host the Pittsburgh Pirates in Game… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":169908,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-169907","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\n\u201cMets vs Pirates at Citi Field: Official Game Time, Confirmed Starters, Live Viewing Info, and Can Pittsburgh Bounce Back After Opening Day Loss?\u201d.ll \ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=169907\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u201cMets vs Pirates at Citi Field: Official Game Time, Confirmed Starters, Live Viewing Info, and Can Pittsburgh Bounce Back After Opening Day Loss?\u201d.ll \ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\ud83d\udcf0 MLB Preview: Mets vs Pirates \u2013 Citi Field (Game on March 28, 2026) \u26be Match Overview The New York Mets host the Pittsburgh Pirates in Game...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=169907\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-27T09:01:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Mets-vs-Pirates.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"790\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"790\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"MrLuu\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"MrLuu\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=169907\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=169907\",\"name\":\"\u201cMets vs Pirates at Citi Field: Official Game Time, Confirmed Starters, Live Viewing Info, and Can Pittsburgh Bounce Back After Opening Day Loss?\u201d.ll \ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=169907#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=169907#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Mets-vs-Pirates.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-27T09:01:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-27T09:01:00+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/301df8231b74387730cd1ed513c32f69\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=169907#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=169907\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=169907#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Mets-vs-Pirates.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Mets-vs-Pirates.png\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":1024},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=169907#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"\u201cMets vs Pirates at Citi Field: Official Game Time, Confirmed Starters, Live Viewing Info, and Can Pittsburgh Bounce Back After Opening Day Loss?\u201d.ll \ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/\",\"name\":\"NEWS USA\",\"description\":\"Your Daily Dose of Sports News and Updates\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/301df8231b74387730cd1ed513c32f69\",\"name\":\"MrLuu\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/dc1fd3814c4cb3d1816165db2274a22bac8ad2b5452a36bf175d03eafdd0ecc5?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/dc1fd3814c4cb3d1816165db2274a22bac8ad2b5452a36bf175d03eafdd0ecc5?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"MrLuu\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?author=8\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"\u201cMets vs Pirates at Citi Field: Official Game Time, Confirmed Starters, Live Viewing Info, and Can Pittsburgh Bounce Back After Opening Day Loss?\u201d.ll \ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=169907","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"\u201cMets vs Pirates at Citi Field: Official Game Time, Confirmed Starters, Live Viewing Info, and Can Pittsburgh Bounce Back After Opening Day Loss?\u201d.ll \ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA","og_description":"\ud83d\udcf0 MLB Preview: Mets vs Pirates \u2013 Citi Field (Game on March 28, 2026) \u26be Match Overview The New York Mets host the Pittsburgh Pirates in Game...","og_url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=169907","og_site_name":"NEWS USA","article_published_time":"2026-03-27T09:01:00+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Mets-vs-Pirates.png","width":790,"height":790,"type":"image\/png"}],"author":"MrLuu","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"MrLuu","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=169907","url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=169907","name":"\u201cMets vs Pirates at Citi Field: Official Game Time, Confirmed Starters, Live Viewing Info, and Can Pittsburgh Bounce Back After Opening Day Loss?\u201d.ll \ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=169907#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=169907#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Mets-vs-Pirates.png","datePublished":"2026-03-27T09:01:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-27T09:01:00+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/301df8231b74387730cd1ed513c32f69"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=169907#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=169907"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=169907#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Mets-vs-Pirates.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Mets-vs-Pirates.png","width":1024,"height":1024},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=169907#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"\u201cMets vs Pirates at Citi Field: Official Game Time, Confirmed Starters, Live Viewing Info, and Can Pittsburgh Bounce Back After Opening Day Loss?\u201d.ll \ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/","name":"NEWS USA","description":"Your Daily Dose of Sports News and Updates","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/301df8231b74387730cd1ed513c32f69","name":"MrLuu","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/dc1fd3814c4cb3d1816165db2274a22bac8ad2b5452a36bf175d03eafdd0ecc5?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/dc1fd3814c4cb3d1816165db2274a22bac8ad2b5452a36bf175d03eafdd0ecc5?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"MrLuu"},"url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?author=8"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169907","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=169907"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169907\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":169909,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169907\/revisions\/169909"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/169908"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=169907"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=169907"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=169907"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}