Pittsburgh Pirates Celebrate Home Runs with Orange Traffic Cone

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The Pittsburgh Pirates have introduced an orange traffic cone as a new celebration prop in their dugout. The cone is used when a Pirate player hits a home run, as the team has struggled to drive in runners in scoring position this season. The unusual dugout decoration is meant to help 'direct traffic home' and keep the team's offense moving.

Why it matters

The Pirates' new traffic cone celebration is a lighthearted attempt to boost morale and productivity for a team that has had trouble scoring runs so far this season. It reflects the team's creativity and willingness to try unconventional methods to keep their players engaged and motivated.

The details

When a Pirates player hits a home run, they get to wear a steel mill welder's mask as part of the celebration. But now, the team has also introduced an orange traffic cone that the player who hit the homer gets to hold in the dugout. The cone is meant to symbolize 'directing traffic home' for runners on base, as the Pirates have struggled with runners in scoring position, going just 6-for-45 in those situations.

• The Pirates introduced the orange traffic cone celebration on Tuesday, April 1, 2026.
• The team continued using the cone in their dugout celebration on Wednesday, April 2, 2026.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The Pirates will continue using the orange traffic cone celebration as long as the team keeps hitting home runs and improving their performance with runners in scoring position.