Spring training is underway and Major League Baseball’s 2025 regular season is fast approaching. As such, it is never too early to keep tabs on each team’s Opening Day starter. These announcements come in throughout spring training and sometimes before camp even opens.
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.
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. The smart money is on Luis Severino getting 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 will be a surprise if it’s anyone but reigning NL Cy Young winner Chris Sale. 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, Zach Eflin seems likely to get the Opening Day start for the O’s. Acquired from the Rays at least summer’s deadline, Eflin had a 2.60 ERA in 55 ⅓ innings for the Orioles. He was Tampa’s Opening Day starter last year. The O’s will be in Toronto to face the Blue Jays on Opening Day.
Brayan Bello started Opening Day for the BoSox last season, though offseason trade pickup Garrett Crochet figures to get the call here. Crochet had a terrific first year as a big league starter, striking out 209 batters with a 3.58 ERA in 146 innings. That earned him a spot in the All-Star Game. The Red Sox will begin the regular season in Texas against the Rangers.
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 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 could fall to veteran Martín Pérez, who is entering his 14th big-league season. It would be his first Opening Day start. 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, the club’s best pitcher last year and their No. 1 starter in the postseason, is the obvious candidate to start Game 1 in Bieber’s place. The Guardians will be in Kansas City to play the Royals on Opening Day.
The Rockies will likely have either Kyle Freeland or Germán Márquez start Opening Day in 2025 against the Rays, marking the first MLB regular-season game at George M. Steinbrenner Field. The Tigers have named Tarik Skubal as their Opening Day starter after his impressive performance last season, and they will face the Dodgers in Los Angeles. Framber Valdez is expected to start his fourth consecutive Opening Day for the Astros, who will play against the Mets at home. The Royals have Seth Lugo and Cole Ragans as candidates for Opening Day starter, with Ragans having the edge as the incumbent. The Angels will start Yusei Kikuchi against the White Sox on Opening Day. The Dodgers will go with Yamamoto as their Opening Day starter for their series against the Cubs in Tokyo. The Marlins will have Sandy Alcantara start Opening Day against the Pirates. The Brewers have named Freddy Peralta as their Opening Day starter against the Yankees. The Twins will have Jorge López start his third straight Opening Day against the Cardinals. The Mets will have Kodai Senga start Opening Day in place of the injured Sean Manaea against the Astros. The Yankees may have Max Fried start on Opening Day due to Gerrit Cole’s injury, as they face the Brewers to start the season. Last season, Aaron Nola’s streak of six consecutive Opening Day starts came to an end when Zack Wheeler took the mound for the Phillies in Game 1. This year, Wheeler will once again be the Opening Day starter as he enters the first year of his three-year, $126 million extension. After finishing as the NL Cy Young runner-up last season with a 2.57 ERA and 224 strikeouts in 200 innings, Wheeler will lead the Phillies on the road against the Nationals on Opening Day.
Over in Pittsburgh, Paul Skenes is expected to get the nod for the Pirates on Opening Day. The No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft, Skenes was named NL Rookie of the Year last season and finished third in the NL Cy Young voting. Despite arriving in May, he managed to throw 133 innings with a 1.96 ERA and 170 strikeouts. Skenes and the Pirates will face the Marlins in Miami to kick off the new season.
In St. Louis, Sonny Gray is likely to be named the Cardinals’ Opening Day starter for the upcoming season. Despite a hamstring injury last year that forced a change in plans, Gray is expected to take the mound as long as he remains healthy through camp. With three career Opening Day starts under his belt, Gray will lead the Cardinals against the Twins in their season opener.
For the San Diego Padres, the Opening Day starter is still up in the air. While Yu Darvish has started three of the last four Opening Days, it’s possible that Dylan Cease or Michael King could get the honor this year. Regardless, the Padres will host the Braves on Opening Day.
In San Francisco, Logan Webb is set to make his fourth consecutive Opening Day start for the Giants. Webb finished sixth in the NL Cy Young voting last season with a 3.47 ERA in 204 2/3 innings. The Giants will face the Reds on the road to start the season.
In Seattle, Luis Castillo has started the last two season openers for the Mariners, but Logan Gilbert and George Kirby are also strong candidates. The Mariners will open the season at home against the A’s.
The Tampa Bay Rays will welcome back Shane McClanahan from Tommy John surgery, giving him his third career Opening Day start. The Rays will host the Rockies at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Opening Day.
The Texas Rangers have a choice between Nathan Eovaldi or Jacob deGrom for their Opening Day starter. The Rangers will face the Red Sox at home to start the season.
The Toronto Blue Jays could go with José Berríos or Kevin Gausman for Opening Day. The Blue Jays will host the Orioles to kick off the new season.
Lastly, the Washington Nationals are likely to turn to MacKenzie Gore as their Opening Day starter against the Phillies at home. Gore will step in for the injured Josiah Gray, who is currently rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. sentence: The cat chased the mouse around the room.
Rewritten sentence: Around the room, the mouse was chased by the cat.