The Pittsburgh Pirates already had a unique home run celebration this year, donning a steel mill worker’s welding helmet when they get back to the dugout that makes them look like Iron Man.
During Tuesday’s 8-3 rout of the Cincinnati Reds, however, they added a new twist.
When Ryan O’Hearn launched a three-run homer in the top of the second, he was greeted by the welding helmet along with a new celebratory orange traffic cone when he returned to the dugout. After putting on the helmet, O’Hearn hoisted the cone over his head as he walked through the dugout.
That was the first of four Pirates homers on Tuesday, so the cone already seems to be good luck.
“You have to direct some traffic home sometimes, man.”
Here’s Jake Mangum on the origin of the traffic cone: pic.twitter.com/XvK7F5vh12
— Jason Mackey (@JMackey_PGH) April 1, 2026
After the game, Pittsburgh outfielder Jake Mangum explained the origin of the traffic cone to MLB.com’s Jason Mackey.
“We’ve had a lot of traffic on the bases recently. We just haven’t directed ’em home. We needed a traffic cone to make sure they got home,” Mangum explained. “You have to direct some traffic home sometimes, man.”
Mangum explained that he just asked one of the visiting clubhouse attendants in Cincinnati for a traffic cone, which he immediately received. Pirates assistant clubhouse manager Nik Cook added a Pirates sticker to it, and that was that.
After getting plenty of action on Tuesday, look for the cone to be a staple in Pittsburgh’s dugout this year, especially if their new and improved lineup keeps mashing.
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