Opening Day Preview: Yankees, Orioles, and Rockies Make Headline

MLB Opening Day 2025 records, streaks, and fun facts

MLB's greatest tradition is back! Opening Day is almost here, and we've got all the deets you need to know about the start of the regular season.

MLB Opening Day is near. Dive into the latest news, records, and matchups, featuring the Yankees, Orioles, and Rockies...

is just around the corner, and it's going to be a wild ride. The season kicks off on Wednesday, March 25, with the New York Yankees taking on the San Francisco Giants at 8:05 p.m. ET, exclusively on . This is a historic moment, marking the first time a season opener will be streamed exclusively on a streaming platform.

Opening Day Schedule

Wednesday, March 25: Yankees vs. Giants (8:05 p.m. ET, Netflix)
Thursday, March 26: 22 teams play, including Pirates vs. Mets (1:15 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock) and Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers (8:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)
Friday, March 27: Remaining 6 teams play, including Athletics vs. Blue Jays (7:07 p.m. ET, MLB Network)

Some of the key matchups include , the Detroit Tigers' ace, taking on the San Diego Padres, and the Los Angeles Dodgers hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks with Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound.

What is Opening Day?

Opening Day is a century-old MLB tradition marking the start of the regular season. It's the first game of the year, symbolizing new beginnings and renewed hopes for teams and fans alike. The inaugural game took place on April 22, 1876, with Boston Red Stockings beating Philadelphia Athletics 6-5.

Former U.S. President 's first pitch on Opening Day in 1910 marked the beginning of a cherished American sports tradition. Since then, every President except Jimmy Carter and Donald Trump has thrown the first pitch, showcasing their skills from the mound.

Taft's iconic throw has been followed by 17 other sitting presidents, with Franklin D. Roosevelt holding the record for eight appearances. This tradition has become an integral part of Opening Day celebrations, symbolizing the connection between baseball and American politics.

, a Hall of Famer, initiated a campaign to make Opening Day a national holiday, garnering support through petitions to the White House. Despite ongoing efforts, it hasn't been officially recognized yet. Fans continue to push for this every year, showcasing the passion for baseball.

“An opener is not like any other game. There's that little extra excitement, a faster beating of the heart. You have that anxiety to get off to a good start, for yourself and for the team. You know that when you win the first one, you can't lose 'em all,” said Hall of Fame pitcher Early Wynn (1920-1999).

Tonight's the Night: Yankees vs Giants on Netflix

The 2026 MLB season kicks off tonight, March 25th, at 8:05 p.m. ET with the New York Yankees facing off against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. This exciting matchup will be streaming exclusively on Netflix, marking the platform's first-ever MLB game. Max Fried takes the mound for the Yankees, while starts for the Giants.

The Giants and Yankees had a thrilling matchup last season, with San Francisco taking two out of three games and outscoring New York 18-13. This year's Opening Day game is shaping up to be just as exciting, with Max Fried starting for the Yankees and Logan Webb on the mound for the Giants.

Logan Webb is set to make his fifth consecutive Opening Day start for the San Francisco Giants, a feat that puts him second in franchise history, just behind Juan Marichal's six consecutive starts. This impressive streak is a testament to Webb's consistency and dominance on the mound.

Webb had an incredible 2025 season, leading the league with 34 starts and 207 innings pitched, while also topping the NL in strikeouts with 224. His performance earned him back-to-back All-Star selections and a spot on the pitching staff.

As the Giants face off against the New York Yankees, Webb will go up against Yankees ace Max Fried. With his experience and skill, Webb is poised to silence the Yankees' bats and give the Giants a strong start to the season.

Max Fried is set to start for the New York Yankees on Opening Day, making his first start with the franchise. He's coming off back-to-back All-Star seasons and finished fourth in voting, mirroring Logan Webb's performance in the NL.

The Yankees had a strong 2025 season, finishing with a 94-68 record and are predicted to win the AL East this year. In contrast, the San Francisco Giants finished 81-81 last season and are expected to finish second in the NL West.

Opening Day Schedule Breakdown

Most teams kick off the season on March 26th, with a few starting on March 27th. The staggered start means it won't be until March 28th that all 30 teams are playing. Teams typically have a day off after their first game, unlike the rest of the season where games are played consecutively within a series.

The staggered start and extra day off after the first game give teams flexibility to reschedule any weather-related postponements, ensuring they can complete their opening series without disrupting the rest of the schedule.

The Yankees and Giants will play on March 25th, followed by an off day on March 26th, and then continue their series on March 27th and 28th. This pattern allows for flexibility in case of weather delays.

2026 Projected MLB Standings -- FanGraphs pic.twitter.com/Gp9O62ChCT
— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) March 23, 2026

Most Opening Weekend series wrap up on March 29th, except for two matchups that start with a four-game series: Seattle Mariners vs. Cleveland Guardians and Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Angels.

What are the matchups?

Let's take a look at the matchups for Opening Day and Opening Weekend. Each game is ordered by start date, then time, and will include the dates of their other matchups within the series. Only the first games of each respective series will be listed.

March 25th

Yankees @ Giants - 8:05 p.m. (27th, 28th)

March 26th

Pirates @ Mets - 1:15 p.m. (28th, 29th)

White Sox @ Brewers - 2:10 p.m. (28th, 29th)

Nationals @ Cubs - 2:20 p.m. (28th, 29th)

Twins @ Orioles - 3:05 p.m. (28th, 29th)

Red Sox @ Reds - 4:10 p.m. (28th, 29th)

Angels @ Astros - 4:10 p.m. (27th-29th)

Tigers @ Padres - 4:10 p.m. (27th, 28th)

Rangers @ Phillies - 4:15 p.m. (28th, 29th)

Rays @ Cardinals - 4:15 p.m. (28th, 29th)

Diamondbacks @ Dodgers - 8:30 p.m. (27th, 28th)

Guardians @ Mariners - 10:10 p.m. (27th-29th)

March 27th

Athletics @ Blue Jays - 7:07 p.m. (28th, 29th)

Rockies @ Marlins - 7:10 p.m. (28th, 29th)

Royals @ Braves - 7:15 p.m. (28th, 29th)

Tyler O'Neill's Opening Day Home Run Streak

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Tyler “Mr. Opening Day” O'Neill holds the MLB record for hitting a home run in six consecutive Opening Day games and aims to extend it to seven this season. He's just three home runs away from tying the all-time record held by Frank Robinson, Ken Griffey Jr., and Adam Dunn, who each hit eight Opening Day home runs.

O'Neill's impressive streak began in 2020 with the St. Louis Cardinals and continued with the Boston Red Sox in 2024. His consistency on Opening Day has earned him the nickname “Mr. Opening Day.”

Tyler O'Neill is tied with Bryce Harper for the most consecutive Opening Day home runs with six. O'Neill is looking to extend his record to seven this season. Meanwhile, the Baltimore Orioles, with six home runs in 2025, are just behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, who hit eight home runs in a single Opening Day game in 2019.

The 1913 Detroit Tigers and 1929 Cincinnati Reds still hold the MLB record for most runs scored on Opening Day with 17. The Arizona Diamondbacks came close to breaking this record in 2024, scoring 16 runs.

The New York Yankees tied the MLB record last season for most home runs by a team in their Opening Weekend series, hitting 15 home runs. This impressive display of power made the '' trend throughout the league.

The Baltimore Orioles are shaking things up with a new Opening Day starter, Trevor Rogers, marking the fifth different starter in as many years. Meanwhile, the Colorado Rockies are sticking with familiarity, as Kyle Freeland takes the mound for his fifth consecutive Opening Day start.

Shane Smith, the White Sox starting pitcher, will make his first career Opening Day start against the Brewers, the team that originally signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2021. He's up against , who's also making his first Opening Day start, and both pitchers were rookies last season.

Jacob Misiorowski, 23 years and 357 days old, will be the third youngest Brewers pitcher to start Opening Day in franchise history.

is the only pitcher to throw a no-hitter on Opening Day, achieving the feat on April 16, 1940.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto will join an elite group, becoming the sixth pitcher since 1969 to record the final out of the World Series and start the next season with the Dodgers.

Camilo Pascual holds the record for most strikeouts by a starting pitcher on Opening Day with 15, set in 1960 with the Washington Senators. Mackenzie Gore came close last season with 13 strikeouts for the Nationals.

The Houston Astros hold the record for the longest Opening Day win streak with 10 straight wins from 2013-2022. The New York Yankees have the second-longest streak with four consecutive wins, followed by the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers, who each have three.

Baltimore holds the record for most Opening Day wins with 71. The have the best Opening Day winning percentage at .641 (41-23).

The Atlanta Braves are struggling with a seven-game Opening Day losing streak, spanning from 2019 to 2025

The Yankees looking to extend their streak, the Braves aiming to snap theirs... it's gonna be a wild Opening Day. Anything can happen when the season kicks off, and we're all watching to see what records will fall.

Opening Day Preview: Yankees, Orioles, and Rockies Make Headline