The Pittsburgh Pirates’ training facility in Bradenton, Fla., where the Low-A Marauders are based, was damaged overnight as Hurricane Milton made its way across the state.
Both LECOM Park and Pirates City, where the Pirates hold spring training games and workouts, respectively, suffered damage.
In addition to several photos showcasing the damage, the Pirates issued the following statement Thursday, via senior vice president of communications and broadcasting Brian Warecki:
“The most noteworthy damage is to the outfield wall at LECOM, and to a batter’s eye and fencing at Pirates City.
“While we appreciate the curiosity, this pales in comparison to what others are facing in the wake of both Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. We continue to work alongside Bradenton area first responders and (are) willing to help in any way we can.”
Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida on Wednesday night, hitting the state’s central west coast as a Category 3 storm before continuing a path inland.
Earlier this week, impending winds of over 100 miles per hour, heavy rain and flooding forced the evacuation of thousands of Floridians, with millions more impacted by power outages and widespread property damage.
As of Thursday afternoon, Hurricane Milton had claimed the lives of 12 with President Joe Biden noting that it’s far too early to begin assessing the overall destruction wrought by the storm.
As it pertains to the world of sports, the Tampa Bay Rays’ Tropicana Field had its roof ripped off by powerful wind gusts, and the Tampa Bay Lightning saw their home opener postponed.
Justin Guerriero is a TribLive reporter covering the Penguins, Pirates and college sports. A Pittsburgh native, he is a Central Catholic and University of Colorado graduate. He joined the Trib in 2022 after covering the Colorado Buffaloes for Rivals and freelancing for the Denver Post. He can be reached at jguerriero@triblive.com.