Major League Baseball’s 2025 Opening Day is less than two weeks away. As such, it is never too early to keep tabs on each team’s Opening Day starter. These announcements have come in throughout spring training, but there are still plenty of decisions to be made.
With that in mind, here is our living document chronicling every team’s Opening Day starter situation. These announcements are tentative because sometimes things change due to injury, so check back regularly for updates. We’ll have everything you need to know about Opening Day starters right here.
Before we get to the good stuff, here is the all-time Opening Day start leaderboard:
- Tom Seaver: 16
- Steve Carlton: 14
- Jack Morris: 14
- Randy Johnson: 14
- Walter Johnson: 14
While it’s true that Opening Day counts for only one game in the standings, it’s still an honor to be tabbed as the starting pitcher for that day. With that in mind, here’s who’s getting the ball in Game 1 around the league.
Zac Gallen has started the last two Opening Days for the D-backs, though it seems likely the nod will go to Corbin Burnes, the 2021 NL Cy Young winner and recipient of a $210 million contract this offseason. If it is Burnes, it would be his fourth straight Opening Day start, following 2022-23 with the Brewers and 2024 with the Orioles. The D-backs will host the Cubs to begin 2025.
(Sacramento) Athletics: Luis Severino
The A’s have used six different Opening Day starters in the last seven years and this year will make it seven in eight years. Luis Severino gets the ball after signing a three-year, $67 million contract that is the largest in franchise history. The A’s will begin the season on the road against the Mariners. Their first home game in Sacramento will be Monday, March 31, against the Cubs.
It would have been a surprise if it was anyone but reigning NL Cy Young winner Chris Sale. No surprises here. Sale has made five career Opening Day starts between the White Sox (2013-14, 2016) and Red Sox (2018-19). Last year he threw 177 ⅔ innings with an MLB-leading 2.38 ERA. He struck out an NL-best 225 batters. The Braves will open 2025 on the road against the Padres. Spencer Strider, who is coming off UCL surgery, started Opening Day for Atlanta in 2025.
With Corbin Burnes leaving as a free agent and no big-name starter imported to replace him, Eflin seemed likely to get the Opening Day start for the O’s. Sure enough, he will. Acquired from the Rays at least summer’s deadline, Eflin had a 2.60 ERA in 55 ⅓ innings for the Orioles. This will be his second consecutive Opening Start, as he received the honors for Tampa Bay last year. The O’s will be in Toronto to face the Blue Jays on Opening Day.
Offseason trade pickup and new Boston ace Garrett Crochet gets the call. Crochet had a terrific first year as a big-league starter, striking out 209 batters with a 3.58 ERA in 146 innings for the White Sox. That earned him a spot in the All-Star Game. The Red Sox acquired the lefty in a December five-team swap with Chicago. The Red Sox will begin the regular season in Texas against the Rangers. Brayan Bello started Opening Day for the BoSox last season
Imanaga will indeed get the nod in his home country when the Cubbies begin the new season with two games against the Dodgers in Tokyo from March 18-19. The team announced it Feb. 18. Imanaga threw 173 ⅓ innings with a 2.91 ERA in 2024, and finished fourth in the Rookie of the Year voting and fifth in the Cy Young voting. He’ll be Chicago’s fourth different Opening Day starter in four years, and this will represent his first Opening Day start in just his second season in MLB.
Garrett Crochet, last year’s Opening Day starter and breakout player, was traded over the winter. The Opening Day assignment instead goes to rookie Sean Burke, who has thrown just 19 innings in the majors. In four MLB games last year (three starts), Burke struck out 22 of the 76 batters he faced and allowed three earned runs. The ChiSox will host the Angels on Opening Day as they look to improve upon last year’s historic 121-loss season.
Although Nick Martinez had a terrific 2024, the young ace Greene will get the Opening Day nod after finishing eighth in the NL Cy Young voting a year ago. He started the season opener for Cincinnati in 2023. Frankie Montas, now with the Mets, was their Opening Day starter in 2024. The Reds will take on the Giants at home to begin the new season. The 25-year-old Greene last season had a 2.75 ERA in 26 starts. His 6.3 WAR led all NL pitchers.
Shane Bieber has started the last five Opening Days for Cleveland, and although he re-signed with the club this offseason, he won’t make a sixth straight as he rehabs from Tommy John surgery.
Tanner Bibee, who was the club’s best pitcher last year and their No. 1 starter in the postseason, is the clear choice to start Game 1 in Bieber’s absence. The Guardians will be facing the Royals in Kansas City on Opening Day.
Kyle Freeland and Germán Márquez have collectively started the last six Opening Days for Colorado (three each). Freeland will lead the charge for the seventh consecutive year and will take the mound to kick off the 2025 season against the Rays in George M. Steinbrenner Field.
A.J. Hinch wasted no time in naming the reigning AL Cy Young winner, Skubal, as the Tigers’ Opening Day starter. Skubal’s impressive performance last season solidified his spot as the top pitcher for the Tigers, who will be playing against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
Framber Valdez will make his fourth consecutive Opening Day start for the Astros, a feat not seen since Roy Oswalt’s eight-year streak. Valdez’s strong performance in 2024 earned him this honor, and he will be facing the Mets at home to begin the new season.
Cole Ragans has earned his second straight Opening Day start for the Royals over Seth Lugo, following a strong showing in the previous season. The Royals will be hosting the Guardians in their Opening Day matchup.
Kikuchi, who signed a lucrative contract with the Angels, will be taking the mound on Opening Day against the White Sox. Manager Ron Washington had no doubts about this decision, as Kikuchi brings his experience and talent to the starting role.
Yamamoto will be starting for the Dodgers in their Opening Day matchup against the Cubs in Tokyo, with fellow Japanese pitcher Roki Sasak starting the second game of the series. Despite having several worthy candidates, Yamamoto was chosen to lead the team in this unique setting.
Alcantara, the 2022 NL Cy Young winner, will be starting the first game of the season for the Marlins after completing his Tommy John surgery rehab. He will be facing the Pirates at home in the Marlins’ Opening Day game.
Peralta confirmed that he will be the Brewers’ Opening Day starter for the second year in a row, after an impressive performance in the previous season. The Brewers will be facing the Yankees in New York to kick off the new season.
López will be starting for the Twins for the third consecutive year on Opening Day, continuing his strong performance since joining the team. The Twins will be playing against the Cardinals on the road to begin the season.
Holmes will be stepping in as the Mets’ Opening Day starter in place of the injured Sean Manaea, who was initially expected to start. The Mets will be facing the Astros in Houston to start the season.
Rodón will be taking the mound for the Yankees on Opening Day due to Gerrit Cole’s Tommy John surgery, with Max Fried starting Game 2. This will be Rodón’s second career Opening Day start, and the Yankees will be hosting the Brewers to begin the new season. In a shift from his previous six consecutive Opening Day starts, Aaron Nola passed the torch to Zack Wheeler for the Phillies’ Game 1 last season. This year, Wheeler is set to kick off the season once again as he embarks on the first year of his lucrative three-year, $126 million extension. A standout performance in the previous season earned Wheeler the title of NL Cy Young runner-up, boasting an impressive 2.57 ERA and 224 strikeouts over 200 innings. The Phillies will hit the road to face the Nationals on Opening Day.
Over in Pittsburgh, the youthful ace Skenes has taken over the reins from Mitch Keller, who started the last two Opening Days for the Pirates. The top pick in the 2023 draft, Skenes was crowned NL Rookie of the Year last season and clinched third place in the NL Cy Young voting. Making his debut in May, Skenes dazzled with a 1.96 ERA and 170 strikeouts over 133 innings. The Pirates will head to Miami to battle the Marlins on Opening Day.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals’ Sonny Gray was set to lead the charge on Opening Day last year until a hamstring injury sidelined him, leading to Miles Mikolas stepping in. This year, Manager Oli Marmol is giving Gray another shot. With three previous Opening Day starts under his belt with the Athletics and Reds, Gray is poised to take on the Twins in the season opener.
In San Diego, Yu Darvish’s reign over Opening Day starts has come to an end, paving the way for Michael King to take the mound. King, who impressed in 2024 as a full-time starter, will look to continue his success this season as the Padres host the Braves on Opening Day.
The Giants will rely on their reliable ace, Webb, to kick off the season for the fourth consecutive year. After finishing sixth in the NL Cy Young voting last season, Webb is ready to lead the Giants on the road against the Reds in the season opener.
In Seattle, Logan Gilbert has been named the Mariners’ Opening Day starter, taking over from Luis Castillo. Gilbert, coming off a strong 2024 season, will look to lead the Mariners against the A’s in their home opener.
The Rays will welcome back McClanahan this year, who will make his third career Opening Day start after returning from Tommy John surgery. With an impressive 3.29 ERA in his last healthy season, McClanahan will lead the Rays against the Rockies on Opening Day.
For the Rangers, Nathan Eovaldi will make a rare back-to-back Opening Day start, a feat not seen since Kevin Millwood’s tenure. Eovaldi’s return to Texas on a new contract sets the stage for the Rangers to face the Red Sox in their home opener.
Lastly, José Berríos will once again take the mound for the Blue Jays on Opening Day, hosting the Orioles in the season opener. The Nationals, on the other hand, will see MacKenzie Gore start Game 1 against the Phillies, continuing the trend of new faces on Opening Day for the team. given sentence: The cat is sleeping peacefully on the windowsill.
Rewritten sentence: Peacefully sleeping on the windowsill is the cat.