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While the focus is on the Pirates battle for a Wild Card spot over the final three weeks of the 2012 season, MLB has already announced their schedule for 2013's campaign. The Bucs will play interleague series against the AL West, traveling to Anaheim and Seattle at the end of June and then visiting the Rangers in September. The three-game set in Arlington in the final month of the season is a departure from the traditional pre-All-Star break interleague slate, and could put a strain on the Bucs pitching staff down the stretch. The Astros (who will no longer be in the NL Central) and Athletics will come to PNC Park and the Bucs will also host their usual interleague opponent, the Detroit Tigers, in the second leg of a home-and-home series.
Pittsburgh opens the season at home on April 1 against the Cubs before heading out west for a road trip in warm-weather cities. The Bucs will also be home for a Father's Day matchup against the Dodgers and a July 4th holiday game against the Phillies.
For more on the Pirates 2013 schedule, visit Bucs Dugout.