Paul Skenes Bobblehead Day proved to be quite a draw for fans Saturday afternoon at PNC Park.
So much so that the Pirates have decided to offer additional bobbleheads to those who weren’t among the first 20,000 to enter the ballpark.
Fans lined the streets of the North Shore and onto the Roberto Clemente Bridge more than three hours before first pitch, hoping to snag a Skenes 2024 National League Rookie of the Year bobblehead.
Heard it was Paul Skenes Bobblehead Night ???? pic.twitter.com/wKYmL8QUKh
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 19, 2025
The Pirates posted to social media: “We don’t want any fan who attended today’s game to not receive one. Any fan who scanned into today’s game after the first 20,000 bobbleheads were given away will be sent an electronic voucher.”
Distribution details will be finalized and announced at a later time.
We know how unique today’s Paul Skenes Rookie of the Year bobblehead giveaway is and how popular it is for our fans. We don’t want any fan who attended today’s game to not receive one.
Any fan who scanned into today’s game after the first 20,000 bobbleheads were given away… pic.twitter.com/e1lZNIEJBL
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 19, 2025
“We all saw the lines and unprecedented response for this unique giveaway,” Pirates president Travis Williams said in statement. “Bob (Nutting) called me and we discussed how we can ensure every fan coming to today’s game received one. I give a lot of credit to our internal team for the quick response to make that happen.”
In addition to the bobblehead, fans got to see Skenes start against the Cleveland Guardians in the second game of the three-game series.
Cleveland won 3-0, and the last-place Pirates (8-14) went 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position.
The Pirates’ proactive response comes after a series of not-so-well received moments.
In the offseason, the organization removed the fan-favorite “Bucco Bricks” on the sidewalk outside of PNC Park and sent them to a recycling center.
The organization earlier this week said it will offer those who bought bricks a free keepsake replica of the brick they bought, and there will be a new permanent display of the messages that had been preserved on the old bricks at the stadium.
Also during the opening homestand, fans expressed displeasure over the Roberto Clemente No. 21 emblem being replaced by an advertisement on the right-field wall. That advertisement has since been removed.
At the home opener earlier this month, fans chanted for owner Bob Nutting to sell the team and booed manager Derek Shelton during pregame introductions.
