Soto, Snell and Holmes debut for new teams, Skenes makes his first opening-day start

By Canadian Press on March 26, 2025.

NEW YORK (AP) — Juan Soto, Blake Snell and Clay Holmes debut for new teams, Paul Skenes makes his first opening-day start at age 22 and Sandy Alcántara returns from Tommy John surgery.

A week after the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers swept an opening two-game series over the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo, 26 other teams get underway Thursday on opening day in the U.S. and Canada.

One day later the Rays and Rockies become the final clubs to take the field, given extra time while Tampa Bay moved into the New York Yankees’ Steinbrenner Field, its temporary home this season after Hurricane Milton destroyed Tropicana Field’s roof.

With Oakland stripped from its name, the cityless Athletics start the first of at least three years at a makeshift minor league home in Sacramento when they host the Cubs on Monday. But first, the A’s start at Seattle with Luis Severino on the mound after he agreed to a team-record $67 million, three-year contract.

Across the majors, Miami’s Clayton McCullough makes his major league managing debut and Cincinnati’s Terry Francona and Will Venable of the Chicago White Sox start tenures with new teams.

Starting pitchers feature a Zack, Zach and Zac.

Banged up Yankees open at home after AL pennant

Action begins in the Bronx when Carlos Rodón makes his first opening day start for the defending AL champion New York Yankees, who are without three-fifths of their starting rotation following injuries to Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt. In addition, Giancarlo Stanton and DJ LeMahieu are hurt.

Freddy Peralta pitches for Milwaukee, which could see former closer Devin Williams for the first time since he buckled in the ninth inning of NL Wild Card Series Game 3, when he allowed a go-ahead, three-run homer to the Mets’ Pete Alonso.

$765 million reasons to pay attention

Soto signed a record $765 million, 15-year contract to leave the Yankees and join the Mets, who totaled $1.36 billion in payroll and luxury tax over four years under owner Steve Cohen but remain without a title since 1986.

New York is 41-22 in openers, at .651 the best winning percentage of any franchise. After losing their first eight, the Mets have won 41 of their last 55.

Holmes left the Yankees for a $38 million, three-year deal with the Mets and will make his first start since 2018 with Pittsburgh. Framber Valdez will be on the mound for the Astros.

Raising the flag

After winning their second title in a five-year span and eighth overall, the Dodgers lift the World Series flag above Chavez Ravine before their home opener against Detroit.

Snell, a 2018 and ’23 Cy Young Award winner, joined Los Angeles for a $182 million, five-year contract that was part of a spending spree in which the Dodgers committed $458.5 million to nine players. AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal starts for the Tigers, who won 15 of their final 20 games last season, then swept Houston in a Wild Card Series and lost to Cleveland in a five-game Division Series.

First of many?

Skenes, the NL Rookie of the Year, will be at 22 years, 302 days when he takes the mound at Miami, the youngest opening day starting pitcher since the Marlins’ José Fernández at 21-243 in 2014.

Alcántara makes his first appearance for Miami since Sept. 3, 2023. The 2022 NL Cy Young winner had Tommy John surgery that Oct. 6. Clayton McCullough makes his debut as Marlins manager after replacing Skip Schumaker.

Sale starts opener for Braves

NL Cy Young winner Chris Sale starts his sixth opener, but first for Atlanta after three for the White Sox and two for Boston. With Yu Darvish sidelined by elbow inflammation, Michael King start for the Padres — he pitched seven scoreless innings against the Braves with 12 strikeouts in last year’s Wild Card Series opener.

New faces for the Red Sox

Garrett Crochet starts for Boston at Texas following his offseason acquisition from the White Sox, who started the left-hander in the opener of what turned into a record 121-loss season last year. Alex Bregman takes over at third base after agreeing to a $120 million, three-year contract, while Rafael Devers moves to designated hitter and 22-year-old Kristian Campbell appeared set to start at second base in his major league debut.

Nathan Eovaldi becomes the first pitcher to make consecutive opening day starts for Texas since Kevin Millwood from 2006-09.

Gallen starts for Diamondbacks agaist Cubs

Zac Gallen was picked over Corbin Burnes to start for Arizona against the Cubs, making his third straight opening day start. Justin Steele makes his second start of the season for Chicago after allowing five runs over four innings in the second game loss to the Dodgers last week.

On the road, before heading to temporary home

Before starting their Sacramento tenancy on Monday against the Cubs, the vagabond Athletics open at Seattle with Severino, the third straight pitcher to make his A’s debut by starting opening day after Kyle Muller and Alex Wood.

Coming off his first All-Star selection, Logan Gilbert starts his first Seattle opener. Dan Wilson begins his first full season as Mariners manager after replacing Scott Servais last August.

Blue Jays seek sixth straight opening day win

José Berríos starts his fifth opener and joins Jimmy Key, Dave Stieb and Roy Halladay as the only pitchers to start three for Toronto, who have the longest opening day winning streak in the big leagues. Outfielder Anthony Santander debuts for the Blue Jays.

Zach Eflin, acquired from the Rays last summer, will be on the mound for the Orioles and will become the fourth pitcher since 1900 to start consecutive openers against the same opponent for different teams, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The others were Sad Sam Jones, Wes Ferrell and Madison Bumgarner.

Kikuchi becomes record third Japanese pitcher to start 2025 opener

Making his Los Angeles Angels debut, Kikuchi follows opening starts in Japan last week by the Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the Cubs’ Shota Imanaga.

Sean Burke, a 25-year-old right-hander who made his first three big league starts last September, becomes the sixth pitcher in 70 years to start an opener with three or fewer big league starts, according to Elias, after Crochet, Tanner Scheppers, David Nied, Al Holland and Fernando Valenzuela.

Wheeler starts second straight Phillies opener

Zack Wheeler at 34 becomes the oldest Philadelphia pitcher to make consecutive opening day starts since Halladay pitched his third straight in 2012. MacKenzie Gore at 26 will be the Nationals’ youngest opening day starter since Stephen Strasburg in 2014.

Ragans starts second straight opener for Royals

Cole Ragans at 27 will be the youngest Kansas City pitcher to start two openers in a row since 27-year-old Jeff Suppan pitched his third straight in 2002. In an AL Central matchup, Tanner Bibee starts for Cleveland after agreeing to a $48 million, five-year contract.

Francona back in dugout with Reds

Francona starts his 24th season as a big league manager at age 65 after taking a season off and regaining his health following 11 seasons with Cleveland. Hunter Greene starts for the Reds, who have opened exclusively with right-handers since 1999.

Shortstop Willy Adames debuts for the Giants after signing a $182 million, seven-year contract for a team run by former star catcher Buster Posey.

López starts third straight opener for Twins

Pablo López becomes the first Minnesota pitcher to start three openers in a row since Brad Radke’s seven from 1999-2005. Sonny Gray starts his fourth opener and first for St. Louis after outings for Oakland and Cincinnati. The Cardinals o pen their last season under president of baseball operations John Mozeliak, who has been in charge since October 2007 and will be replaced next fall by Chaim Bloom.

Eyes on batters

In the third season of restrictions on defensive shifts and larger bases, focus will be on offense.

Last year’s final batting average of .2433 was higher in the post-1900 era than only .237 in 1968, .239 in 1908, .242 in 1967 and .2427 in 2022.

Robot umpires on the horizon

This could be be the last opening day without robot umpires looking over the men calling balls and strikes

A spring training test of the Automated Ball-Strike System received a mostly positive initial reception and could lead to regular-season use in 2026.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Ronald Blum, The Associated Press

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