Major League Baseball’s Opening Day: Nine Games Set for Action

PHOENIX, Ariz. — Major League Baseball kicks off the 2025 season with nine games scheduled for March 28, beginning with the Colorado Rockies facing the Tampa Bay Rays at 4:10 p.m. ET. After a successful Opening Day free of postponements, teams across the league are poised for a competitive start to the new season.

Today’s matchups showcase some promising pitchers, including the noted Japanese right-hander, who is making his second start of the season. He previously delivered an impressive five-inning outing against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo, yielding just one earned run and striking out four. He will be challenged by the Detroit Tigers, a team that finished the 2024 season with a league-average record against right-handed pitchers, holding a 97 wRC+ and a strikeout rate of 24.2%.

The standout pitcher achieved a 15.1% swinging strike rate and a 31% called strike plus whiff rate in his last outing, signaling a strong command that he aims to replicate at home in his matchup with the Tigers. Fantasy enthusiasts see him as a top contender for today’s action.

Matchup scores will be monitored live, with the addition of a new southpaw from Boston taking the mound against the Texas Rangers. The stakes are high as teams look to secure their positions early in the season.

As teams step onto the field, fans are reminded that the journey to the postseason begins now. Each game holds significant weight, especially for veterans like Charlie Morton, who is searching for a victory to bolster playoff aspirations. Pitchers such as Paul Skenes, entering his final start of the regular season with an impressive 1.99 ERA, and Sean Manaea, the Mets’ ace, will also play crucial roles in their teams’ playoff trajectories.

With playoff implications already on players’ minds this early in the season, fans can expect thrilling performances, and potential surprises as the opening week unfolds.