Padres’ Kyle Hart Set for Emotional Opening Day After Challenging Journey

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Kyle Hart is preparing for a triumphant return to the big leagues as he joins the San Diego Padres for Opening Day at a sold-out Petco Park on Thursday. Hart, making his first appearance in front of a full crowd since his debut in 2020, feels a surge of excitement as he steps back into the limelight.

“I’m going to just try to be in the here and now,” Hart, 32, said after the Padres’ practice on Wednesday. “I’m super excited to watch Michael King pitch and watch our guys go to work. I’m going to be hyper-focused on doing my job to help us win a ballgame.”

Hart, who has had a tumultuous journey in professional baseball, was told on Sunday that he made the team and will likely pitch in the upcoming series against the Atlanta Braves or the Cleveland Guardians. This revelation came during a meeting with Padres manager Mike Shildt, pitching coach Ruben Niebla, and other team executives, where he celebrated the good news with his wife, Haley, and their young daughter, Eden.

In 2020, Hart’s debut was overshadowed by pandemic restrictions, making his experience at Boston’s Fenway Park both lonely and eerie, with nearly empty stands. However, his career took a promising turn last season in South Korea, where he achieved a remarkable 2.69 ERA and struck out 182 batters, earning the league’s equivalent of a Cy Young Award.

In February, Hart signed a $1.5 million contract with the Padres, which includes a $5 million club option for 2026. His journey has been marked by struggles, including his initial stint with the Boston Red Sox, where he allowed 19 earned runs in just 11 innings.

“There were some emotions for sure from my end,” Hart reflected on making the Padres roster. “I’ve been in some dark places in this game… but this is a privilege.”

Michael King, Hart’s teammate and Thursday’s starting pitcher, also faces his first Opening Day start. The 29-year-old hopes to draw on his playoff experience from last October, where he struck out 12 batters over seven shutout innings against the Braves.

“The introductions were one of the coolest parts during playoffs last year,” King recalled. “It’s like really exciting to be out in the bullpen while it’s happening. The noise that they make is extreme, and I’m really looking forward to it.”

King is aware that the Braves present a new challenge; the team has made significant changes since their last matchup. Former Padres player Jurickson Profar is expected to lead off, and Chris Sale, the reigning NL Cy Young winner, returns to the mound for Atlanta after missing the previous postseason due to injury.

“I know it was supposed to be Chris Sale last fall,” King noted, assessing his opposition. “So it’s a different and better team over there, and the adrenaline will definitely be kicked up.”

With Opening Day upon them, both Hart and King are eager to make the most of the opportunity, ready to embrace the atmosphere and the thrill of a fresh start in the 2025 season.