IronPigs Opening Day, Opening Weekend, Details and Preview

UPDATED 2:58PM Friday

It’s here!  Opening Day for baseball season is like Christmas Morning for a lot of folks.  It signals the start of a sports season as well as the arrival of Spring and all that comes with it.  Here’s what you need to know about the IronPigs games this weekend:

Teams:

Find information about the IronPigs roster with player details and numbers and a printable roster HERE

–>Roster post was UPDATED Saturday 3/29, 3PM

Click HERE for information about the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders players, AAA affiliate of the New York Yankees.

Players To Watch (Yankees):  #89 Brandon Leibrandt (old friend), Manager #17 Shelley Duncan (old nemesis), OF #80 Everson Pereira (#14 prospect), INF #90 Jorbit Vivas (#21 Prospect), #27 1B TJ Rumfield (Phillies draft pick traded for C Donny Sands and RHP Nick Nelson)

Notable

Going back to the days as the Red Barons, a Phillies AAA affiliate, Friday marks the 5,000th game in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre franchise history!  They are 2665-2334 before tonight.

Friday, March 28

Weather:  59 degrees at game time, 12% rain, 8mph wind

First Pitch:  6:05PM

All Gates:  4:30PM

Giveaway:  Retro Drinking Glass courtesy Service Electric

Plaza: DJ Seibert spinning the tunes (spinning?), Dieruff Cheerleaders, Dani Long Legs stilt walker

Club Level:  Music by Jimmy Cole

Be in your seat early for official first pitches of the season as well as player introduction ceremony.

Post-game:  Fireworks

Pitching Match-Up

IronPigs:  RHP Alan Rangel (Career at AAA:  14G/8GS, 2-3, 4.37)

RailRiders:  LHP Brandon Leibrandt (2024 AAA Louisville: 3-4, 4.41, 17GS)

Saturday, March 29

Weather:  81 degrees at game time; 14mph wind; 0% precipitation

First Pitch: 4:35PM

Gates: 3:15PM (Main/East), 3:00PM (Club/West)

Giveaway:  Magnet Schedule

“Tail Waggin’ Day” – Bring your dog to the park!

Plaza: Stranger Things Rock on stage, Dani Long Legs stilt walker, Prestino! the magician

Club:  Music by Adeline Csontos

Pitching Match-Up:

IronPigs:  RHP Seth Johnson (2024 AAA IronPigs: 2-1, 2.74, 5G/5GS)

RailRiders:  RHP Sean Boyle (Career AAA:  9-4, 4.01, 24G/21GS, AA Somerset reliever 2024)

Sunday, March 30

Weather:  58 degrees at game time; 5mph wind; 1% chance of showers

First Pitch: 1:35PM

Gates:  12:15PM (Main/East), 12:00 (Club/West)

Giveaway:  (none)

“Tail Wagin’ Day”. – Bring your dog to the park!

Plaza:  Supersonic Godfathers on stage

Concourse:  Tootsie The Clown

Club:  music by Seth Witcher

Post-Game:  Kids Run The Bases

Pitching Match-Up

IronPigs:  RHP Mick Abel (Career AAA:  3-13, 6.35, 25G/25GS)

RailRiders:  RHP Allan Winans (AAA Gwinnett 2024: 7-5, 3.30, 24G/16GS)

UPDATE:  Winans scratched.  NYY affiliate goes with LHP Edgar Barclay (2024 AAA-Scranton, 7-9, 5.98,  29G/GS). Four games vs. IronPigs last season: 0-3, 7.50

Up Next

The IronPigs head to Rochester next week.  What could go wrong with early April games in Rochester?  Pigs return April 8 for Syracuse.