phillies vs pirates opens Friday at PNC Park, with Braxton Ashcraft starting for Pittsburgh and Aaron Nola going for Philadelphia at 6:40 p.m. ET. The three-game series begins with the Pirates at 24-20 and fourth in the NL Central, while the Phillies enter at 21-23 and second in the NL East.
Ashcraft Meets Nola
Ashcraft brings a 2-2 record and a 2.77 ERA to the mound for Pittsburgh. Nola counters with a 2-3 record and a 5.14 ERA for Philadelphia, giving the opener a clear pitching matchup at the front of the series.
That start matters because Friday is the first game of a three-game set, so both clubs get an early read on how the rotation lines up against a division opponent. Pittsburgh has the better record, but Philadelphia sits higher in its division, which makes the opener a clean test of where each team stands right now.
PNC Park Opening Night
The game is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET at PNC Park. For fans following the series opener, that gives a fixed starting point for the matchup and a direct look at the two starters before the rest of the series unfolds.
The Pirates also list Joey Bart on the 10-day injured list with a foot infection, Jake Mangum on the 10-day injured list with a hamstring injury, Chris Devenski on the 15-day injured list with an illness, Jared Jones on the 60-day injured list with an elbow injury, Kyle Backhus on the 15-day injured list with an elbow injury, Zach Pop on the 15-day injured list with a calf injury, and Max Lazar on the 60-day injured list with an oblique injury. That injury list trims the pitching and position-player mix around Ashcraft’s start and leaves Pittsburgh to manage the opener with several names already unavailable.
Friday’s result will set the tone for the rest of the three-game series, and the first pitch at 6:40 p.m. ET gives both teams a quick chance to establish control at PNC Park.
