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INDIANAPOLIS — The sun is starting to creep through the winter gray, temperatures are rising and baseball is back at Victory Field, sending a signal that summer is finally on its way.
The Indianapolis Indians open their home schedule on Tuesday, returning to Indianapolis after an unseasonably warm opener in St. Paul last Friday, followed by two days of playing in frigid Minnesota temperatures.
Indianapolis opens its home schedule with six games against the Iowa Cubs this week, and although Paul Skenes opened his season in Pittsburgh, there are plenty of reasons to make a trip to Victory Field this season.
Pittsburgh has another golden arm trying to follow the Skenes path to the majors by opening in Indianapolis this season.
Bubba Chandler, Pittsburgh’s No. 1 prospect and the No. 15 prospect overall, will open his season in Indianapolis with the hopes of ramping up for a call-up as the summer really begins to settle into the major league season.
Chandler might not have Skenes’s level of fame but he’s got incredible stuff. Chandler, a third-round pick in 2021 who began his career in the minors as a two-way player, routinely touches 100 miles per hour with his fastball, and he’s got a cutter and improving changeup that could put him in the major leagues soon.
Chandler finished last season with Indianapolis, posting a 1.83 ERA and 54 strikeouts over 39-plus innings in seven games with the Indians to end the year.
Part of a growing group of young starters in Pittsburgh headlined by Skenes and Jared Jones, Chandler appears to be next in line.
“He was supposed to go be a quarterback at Clemson, so I think he can handle the spotlight,” Indians pitching coach Drew Benes said. “When the lights flip on, Bubba’s ready.”
'He knows he's a good hitter now': How Indiana native Matt Gorski found peace in the box
Matt Gorski nearly made the Pirates roster with a blistering spring.
Gorski, a Fishers native who played his high school ball at Hamilton Southeastern and in college at Indiana, hit .360 in 27 at-bats, led Pittsburgh with four homers in spring training and stole two bases, offering some offensive upside to a Major League roster that isn’t expected to have much pop in the lineup.
Gorski has pop.
The 27-year-old outfielder has hit more than 20 homers in each of his last three minor-league seasons, and the next step, hopefully, is a chance to make his Major League debut.
“You hope and pray to get it one day, but you never really know until you get it,” Gorski said. “Hopefully, it’ll be because I earned it, not because of injuries or anything like that.”
Former Indians infielder Chris Truby, who played parts of two seasons in Indianapolis, takes over as the team’s manager after serving as bench coach in 2024.
Truby, who has lived in Fishers, made it clear that as a Triple-A manager, his job is to prepare his roster to help the big-league club, whether it’s a top prospect like Chandler or a longer-term player like Gorski.
But the day-to-day baseball is still special.
“Opening day is … I don’t know how to explain it,” Truby said. “You go through spring training, and you’re working to get to this point, but having the club together for the first time and having everybody ready to compete as a unit, I think everybody looks forward to it.”
The rest of the Indianapolis roster is a mix of top prospects and former major leaguers who will likely end up in Pittsburgh at some point this season.
Chandler leads a group of six players in Pittsburgh’s top 30 prospects, and the roster is dotted with former major leaguers like D.J. Stewart, Liover Peguero and catcher Henry Davis, a former No. 1 pick of the 2021 draft who has struggled in his first two chances at the major leagues but still possesses plenty of potential.
“I believe, and I think they believe, we have a lot of guys that are going to help our major league team win at some point during the year,” Truby said. “Having that kind of depth, I’ve never really seen it on a Triple-A team to start.”
Victory Field has something for almost every day of the week:
Tuesday: There are $1 concession items such as hot dogs, peanuts, potato chips, popcorn, Cracker Jack and churros.
Wednesday: Half-priced box, reserve and lawn tickets for every Wednesday night game. Enter the code HALF in the coupon code field before selecting your seats.
Thursday: $3 12-ounce Busch Light cans, $3 draft beers and $2 Pepsi fountain sodas.
Friday: Postgame fireworks after every game.
Saturday Giveaway: On April 5, the first 1,500 fans through the gates will receive a tour schedule t-shirt, featuring Rowdie and the Indians 2025 schedule.
Sunday: Kids 14 and under receive a free hot dog, bag of chips and milk with ticket.
60 Degree Weather Guarantee: If the temperature is below 60 degrees at first pitch on Opening Night, fans in attendance will receive a free ticket voucher to any April home game.
The Indianapolis Indians' Victory Field was named one of USA Today's 10BEST minor league ballparks in the country.
The park finished 7th with the following commentary: "Victory Field is home to the Indianapolis Indians, the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Beyond the field, Victory Field boasts a striking skyline view that features the towering J.W. Marriott beyond the left field wall. When it isn't a game day, the field transforms into a gorgeous outdoor event space. Be sure to check out the team's history on the timeline near the Elements Financial Club."
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis Indians: What you need to know about the 2025 season
Continue reading...
The Indianapolis Indians open their home schedule on Tuesday, returning to Indianapolis after an unseasonably warm opener in St. Paul last Friday, followed by two days of playing in frigid Minnesota temperatures.
Indianapolis opens its home schedule with six games against the Iowa Cubs this week, and although Paul Skenes opened his season in Pittsburgh, there are plenty of reasons to make a trip to Victory Field this season.
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The next big Pirates arm: Bubba Chandler
Pittsburgh has another golden arm trying to follow the Skenes path to the majors by opening in Indianapolis this season.
Bubba Chandler, Pittsburgh’s No. 1 prospect and the No. 15 prospect overall, will open his season in Indianapolis with the hopes of ramping up for a call-up as the summer really begins to settle into the major league season.
Chandler might not have Skenes’s level of fame but he’s got incredible stuff. Chandler, a third-round pick in 2021 who began his career in the minors as a two-way player, routinely touches 100 miles per hour with his fastball, and he’s got a cutter and improving changeup that could put him in the major leagues soon.
Chandler finished last season with Indianapolis, posting a 1.83 ERA and 54 strikeouts over 39-plus innings in seven games with the Indians to end the year.
Part of a growing group of young starters in Pittsburgh headlined by Skenes and Jared Jones, Chandler appears to be next in line.
“He was supposed to go be a quarterback at Clemson, so I think he can handle the spotlight,” Indians pitching coach Drew Benes said. “When the lights flip on, Bubba’s ready.”
'He knows he's a good hitter now': How Indiana native Matt Gorski found peace in the box
Local kid on the cusp
Matt Gorski nearly made the Pirates roster with a blistering spring.
Gorski, a Fishers native who played his high school ball at Hamilton Southeastern and in college at Indiana, hit .360 in 27 at-bats, led Pittsburgh with four homers in spring training and stole two bases, offering some offensive upside to a Major League roster that isn’t expected to have much pop in the lineup.
Gorski has pop.
The 27-year-old outfielder has hit more than 20 homers in each of his last three minor-league seasons, and the next step, hopefully, is a chance to make his Major League debut.
“You hope and pray to get it one day, but you never really know until you get it,” Gorski said. “Hopefully, it’ll be because I earned it, not because of injuries or anything like that.”
Familiar face in the dugout
Former Indians infielder Chris Truby, who played parts of two seasons in Indianapolis, takes over as the team’s manager after serving as bench coach in 2024.
Truby, who has lived in Fishers, made it clear that as a Triple-A manager, his job is to prepare his roster to help the big-league club, whether it’s a top prospect like Chandler or a longer-term player like Gorski.
But the day-to-day baseball is still special.
“Opening day is … I don’t know how to explain it,” Truby said. “You go through spring training, and you’re working to get to this point, but having the club together for the first time and having everybody ready to compete as a unit, I think everybody looks forward to it.”
Potential major leaguers
The rest of the Indianapolis roster is a mix of top prospects and former major leaguers who will likely end up in Pittsburgh at some point this season.
Chandler leads a group of six players in Pittsburgh’s top 30 prospects, and the roster is dotted with former major leaguers like D.J. Stewart, Liover Peguero and catcher Henry Davis, a former No. 1 pick of the 2021 draft who has struggled in his first two chances at the major leagues but still possesses plenty of potential.
“I believe, and I think they believe, we have a lot of guys that are going to help our major league team win at some point during the year,” Truby said. “Having that kind of depth, I’ve never really seen it on a Triple-A team to start.”
Daily deals
Victory Field has something for almost every day of the week:
Tuesday: There are $1 concession items such as hot dogs, peanuts, potato chips, popcorn, Cracker Jack and churros.
Wednesday: Half-priced box, reserve and lawn tickets for every Wednesday night game. Enter the code HALF in the coupon code field before selecting your seats.
Thursday: $3 12-ounce Busch Light cans, $3 draft beers and $2 Pepsi fountain sodas.
Friday: Postgame fireworks after every game.
Saturday Giveaway: On April 5, the first 1,500 fans through the gates will receive a tour schedule t-shirt, featuring Rowdie and the Indians 2025 schedule.
Sunday: Kids 14 and under receive a free hot dog, bag of chips and milk with ticket.
60 Degree Weather Guarantee: If the temperature is below 60 degrees at first pitch on Opening Night, fans in attendance will receive a free ticket voucher to any April home game.
Victory Field named on of 10 best minor league parks in country
The Indianapolis Indians' Victory Field was named one of USA Today's 10BEST minor league ballparks in the country.
The park finished 7th with the following commentary: "Victory Field is home to the Indianapolis Indians, the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Beyond the field, Victory Field boasts a striking skyline view that features the towering J.W. Marriott beyond the left field wall. When it isn't a game day, the field transforms into a gorgeous outdoor event space. Be sure to check out the team's history on the timeline near the Elements Financial Club."
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis Indians: What you need to know about the 2025 season
Continue reading...
