Opening Day is just days away, and baseball fans across the globe are gearing up for the return of America’s pastime. While the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs already gave fans an early taste of the season with their two-game set in Tokyo, the real action kicks off soon for all 30 teams.
Whether you’re watching solo or packed into a stadium with passionate fans, everyone wants to see their team start the season with a win — and that all starts with the Opening Day starter.
A starting pitcher’s job on this day isn’t just about getting outs; they set the tone, ignite the crowd, and carry the weight of expectations. Some will make their long-awaited debuts, others will take the mound for the fifth or even sixth time on Opening Day, and a few unexpected names have risen due to injuries.
So, which pitchers will take the mound for their teams to open the 2025 season? Here’s a look at who’s been announced so far — and which teams are still undecided.
Opening Day Starting Pitcher
Teams | Opening Day Starting Pitcher |
|---|---|
Arizona Diamondbacks | Zac Gallen |
Athletics | Luis Severino |
Atlanta Braves | Chris Sale |
Baltimore Orioles | Zach Eflin |
Boston Red Sox | Garrett Crochet |
Chicago Cubs | Shota Imanaga |
Chicago White Sox | Sean Burke |
Cincinnati Reds | Hunter Greene |
Cleveland Guardians | Tanner Bibee |
Colorado Rockies | Kyle Freeland |
Detroit Tigers | Tarik Skubal |
Houston Astros | Framber Valdez |
Kansas City Royals | Cole Ragans |
Los Angeles Angels | Yusei Kikuchi |
Los Angeles Dodgers | Yoshinobu Yamamoto |
Miami Marlins | Sandy Alcantra |
Milwaukee Brewers | Freddy Peralta |
Minnesota Twins | Pablo López |
New York Mets | Clay Holmes |
New York Yankees | Carlos Rodón |
Philadelphia Phillies | Zack Wheeler |
Pittsburgh Pirates | Paul Skenes |
San Diego Padres | Michael King |
San Francisco Giants | Logan Webb |
Seattle Mariners | Logan Gilbert |
St. Louis Cardinals | Sonny Gray |
Tampa Bay Rays | Shane McClanahan |
Texas Rangers | Nathan Eovaldi |
Toronto Blue Jays | José Berríos |
Washington Nationals | MacKenzie Gore |
Familiar Faces & New Beginnings
For some, hearing their name called as an Opening Day starter was expected:
- Paul Skenes (Pirates): The No. 1 pick in 2023 will officially take on ace duties for Pittsburgh.
- Nathan Eovaldi (Rangers): The veteran will make his fifth career Opening Day start.
- Sonny Gray (Reds): Set for his fourth Opening Day nod, proving his reliability once again.
- Tarik Skubal (Tigers): Continuing a trend, he’ll be the fifth straight Detroit pitcher to start back-to-back openers.
- Kyle Freeland (Rockies): Locked in for his fourth straight Opening Day with Colorado.
For others, the pressure of Opening Day is something they haven’t felt in a long time:
- Luis Severino (Athletics): His last Opening Day start was in 2018 — seven years later, he’s back on the big stage.
- Garrett Crochet (Red Sox): After making his first-ever MLB start on Opening Day in 2024, he’s back in the role — but this time, he’ll do it in Fenway Park.
Unexpected Surprises & Last-Minute Adjustments
Not every team is entering Opening Day as originally planned. Injuries have reshaped rotations, forcing some teams to turn to unexpected names.
New York Yankees:
- Fans might not have had Carlos Rodón as their Opening Day starter on their 2025 bingo card. But after Gerrit Cole was ruled out for the season with Tommy John surgery, many assumed it would be newly signed Max Fried taking the mound. Instead, the Pinstripes are rolling with Rodón, hoping he can set the tone for a bounce-back year.
New York Mets:
- On the other side of the city, the Mets are making history — but not in the way most expected. Clay Holmes, best known as a dominant Yankees reliever, is making his starting pitching debut in his first season with the Mets.
More Names to Come
While many teams have proved their Opening Day starters, a few are still weighing their options. Whether due to injuries, roster decisions, or strategic moves, some managers are keeping their choices under wraps until the last minute.
One thing is for sure: Opening Day is never just another game. It’s a statement, a fresh start, and for some, a defining moment. And as the season gets underway, all eyes will be on the pitchers who set the tone for what’s to come in 2025.