Ranking all 15 Opening Day pitching matchups
There is one thing excellent about an Opening Day the place all 30 groups are enjoying, which is what we’ll get on Thursday. It’s the primary time to see everyone, all the pieces, in every single place, all at … effectively, not fairly abruptly, however actually for those who flip in your TV at 1 p.m. ET, you’re going to have 12 full hours of baseball happiness.
And there isn’t a honor fairly like your staff handing you the ball on Day 1 to make you the Opening Day starter. Fifteen video games, 30 Opening Day starters, 15 matchups. They’re all going to be enjoyable. But right here’s a rating of the matchups (all occasions ET), from most compelling to least. And even the least is fairly compelling: It’s Opening Day, in spite of everything.
1) Mets at Marlins, 4:10 p.m.
Max Scherzer vs. Sandy Alcantara
You could be forgiven for pondering this could be a matchup of the 2 defending Cy Young winners, however Justin Verlander will probably be beginning the Mets’ dwelling opener on April 6. That provides us Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner himself in fact, towards Alcantara, making his fourth straight Opening Day look for the Marlins. With these two throwing and the pitch timer, would possibly this recreation be over by 6 p.m.?
2) Giants at Yankees, 1:05 p.m.
Logan Webb vs. Gerrit Cole
The kind of traditional Opening Day matchup that will have been unimaginable twenty years in the past. But now Interleague Play occurs just about day-after-day and this feels just like the kind of matchup we must always root for yearly. Webb is without doubt one of the most underappreciated pitchers in baseball, however Cole is the perpetual Yankees ace, one with much more stress on him than ordinary now that new signee (and naturally former Giant) Carlos Rodón will begin the yr on the injured record. Seriously, although, Yankees-Giants at Yankee Stadium. Now that’s an indication the season has begun.
3) Phillies at Rangers, 4:05 p.m.
Aaron Nola vs. Jacob deGrom
What’s deGrom going to appear like in a Rangers uniform? What’s he going to appear like in any respect? Remember: He was wholesome on the finish of final yr, however he wasn’t precisely Jacob deGrom. The Rangers will spend the subsequent 5 years hoping they get the actual one. Nola is mainly the other of deGrom as a pitcher — dependable, regular, constant although with flashes of brilliance. (Fun reality: This will probably be Nola’s sixth straight Opening Day begin, the longest lively streak in MLB.)
4) Guardians at Mariners, 10:10 p.m.
Shane Bieber vs. Luis Castillo
A quietly terrific nightcap of a full day of baseball, with two of the very best pitchers of the previous 5 years, representing two groups who reached the ALDS final yr, going through off. This is Bieber’s fourth straight Opening Day begin for Cleveland, and it’s Castillo’s third nod general: He pitched two in Cincinnati. Both groups are completely relying on these pitchers this yr.
5) Angels at A’s, 10:07 p.m.
Shohei Ohtani vs. Kyle Muller
No offense to poor Kyle Muller, however that is all about Shohei. Mike Trout will definitely be grateful to be enjoying heart area behind him slightly than going through him on the plate. That’s now all these A’s hitters’ burdens to bear.
6) D-backs at Dodgers, 10:10 p.m.
Zac Gallen vs. Julio Urías
Madison Bumgarner has made the previous three Opening Day begins for Arizona (and made 5 for San Francisco earlier than that), however it’s robust to make an argument towards clear ace Gallen. The finest stat right here is that the Dodgers have now had 5 completely different Opening Day starters in 5 years: Hyun Jin Ryu, Dustin May, Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler and now Urías … who was part of the rotation all 5 of those years.
7) White Sox at Astros, 7:08 p.m.
Dylan Cease vs. Framber Valdez
Lucas Giolito has made the previous three Opening Day begins for the White Sox, however it’s robust to argue with going with Cease right here, who made the leap to develop into the most effective starters in baseball final yr. Valdez is definitely making his second Opening Day begin in a row; he led off for the Astros final yr, not Verlander.
8) Brewers at Cubs, 2:20 p.m.
Corbin Burnes vs. Marcus Stroman
Burnes goes for his fourth straight season of ending within the prime 10 in Cy Young voting. Stroman is the pitch-to-contact starter that the Cubs are modeling their complete rotation (and their revamped protection) round. And keep in mind: He was the final World Baseball Classic MVP earlier than Ohtani!
9) Rockies at Padres, 9:40 p.m.
Germán Márquez vs. Blake Snell
With hometown child Joe Musgrove nonetheless recovering from a damaged toe that occurred throughout a weight room mishap, and Yu Darvish getting up to the mark after the World Baseball Classic, Snell will get the decision. No matter who’s one the mound, Petco Park goes to be aflame for this one: Remember, the Padres truly needed to cease promoting season tickets as a result of there was a lot demand. Márquez and the Rockies are going to be going through a hostile ambiance.
10) Blue Jays at Cardinals, 4:10 p.m.
Alek Manoah vs. Miles Mikolas
Adam Wainwright’s damage stops him from the ritualistic home-opener begin he has made numerous occasions all through his profession. Mikolas, who seemed terrific within the World Baseball Classic, makes his second Opening Day begin as an alternative. He’ll face the Blue Jays All-Star who was third in Cy Young voting and, at 25, is simply getting began.
11) Twins at Royals, 4:10 p.m.
Pablo López vs. Zack Greinke
The Twins had loads of choices to go together with right here, in the end touchdown on the brand new acquisition from Miami whom they’d love to put in as their new ace. But the actual enjoyable right here is Greinke, who’s beginning Opening Day for the Royals for the second consecutive yr and the third time in his profession … his first was means again in 2010. (That lineup included Yuniesky Betancourt and Rick Ankiel.) This is eight Opening Day begin general, and doubtless his final, in what is probably going his final season. Enjoy each second of him when you can.
12) Braves at Nationals, 1:05 p.m.
Max Fried vs. Patrick Corbin
This is the second consecutive yr that Corbin is the Opening Day starter for the Nats, although that most likely says extra in regards to the rebuilding Nats than it does about Corbin. This is the third consecutive Opening Day begin for Fried, who, might we remind, has began (and gained) a World Series clincher in that point as effectively. And final yr he got here this shut to profitable a Cy Young.
13) Orioles at Red Sox, 2:10 p.m.
Kyle Gibson vs. Corey Kluber
Gibson ended up being the biggest-ticket merchandise for the Orioles within the offseason, and even for those who needed them to do greater than that, Gibson’s a stable pitcher and can present helpful innings for this in any other case younger Orioles workers. Kluber will get the decision forward of Chris Sale, who hasn’t made an Opening Day begin for the Red Sox since 2019, which is similar yr Kluber final began on Opening Day, for Cleveland.
14) Tigers at Rays, 3:10 p.m.
Eduardo Rodriguez vs. Shane McClanahan
There actually isn’t anyplace to go however up for the Tigers this yr, they usually’ll be in search of Rodriguez to eat up as many innings as potential, as early as Day 1. McClanahan was the AL Cy Young frontrunner for the primary half of final season earlier than fading a bit, however he’s nonetheless as entrenched as any starter on the Rays could be.
15) Pirates at Reds, 4:10 p.m.
Mitch Keller vs. Hunter Greene
It says lots about how nice Opening Day is that even our lowest-ranked matchup has lots to be enthusiastic about. For starters, Cincinnati is Opening Day’s conventional dwelling. Keller is as soon as once more making an attempt to show the nook in Pittsburgh — maybe surprisingly, that is his first Opening Day begin — however the actual pleasure right here is for Greene, one of many higher starters in baseball down the stretch final yr. The Reds hope that is the primary of many, many Opening Day begins for him.
