MLB Opening Day 2025 live: Lineups, updates, highlights, more

MLB Opening Day has finally arrived!

Twenty-eight of 30 teams will be in action Thursday, with the opening matchup between the Colorado Rockies and Tampa Bay Rays scheduled for Friday.

The New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewersare getting things started on ESPN. Soon after, things really heat up with nine games beginning between 4:05 p.m. ET and 4:15 p.m. ET -- highlighted by Juan Soto's debut for the New York Mets at the Houston Astros and an NL showdown between the Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres.

Later, the Los Angeles Dodgers will raise their World Series banner before taking on the Detroit Tigers at 7:10 p.m. ET on ESPN. That's followed by two late-night games on the West Coast, including Zac Gallen and the Arizona Diamondbacks against the Chicago Cubs.

What are we looking for as the season gets started? Our reporters give their pregame takes from the ballparks, and we'll also post lineups as they are announced and live updates throughout the day, followed by takeaways from each game as it concludes.

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Live Opening Day updates

Opening Day lineups and storylines

(All "one thing to know" stats courtesy of ESPN Research.)

Thursday

Milwaukee Brewers at New York Yankees

The big storyline: The post-Juan Soto era begins with Gerrit Cole and Giancarlo Stanton missing as well. New York's tumultuous winter -- the Cole opt-out-and-back-in, Soto's departure to Queens, the pivot, the injuries -- leaves the defending American League champions with a to-be-defined future. Were Cole not out for the season after Tommy John surgery, and Stanton not sidelined indefinitely with bilateral elbow pain, the Yankees would feel confident about their season. Now, there are questions about who can step up alongside Aaron Judge to carry New York.

Milwaukee shares some of those are-they-as-good-as-last-year questions after losing shortstop Willy Adames in free agency and trading closer Devin Williams to ... the Yankees. With Jackson Chourio's impending superstar turn and a team that always seems to manage to win, the Brewers still have enough talent to remain the class of the NL Central. -- Jeff Passan

One thing to know for New York: Left fielder Jasson Dominguez is the favorite (+400) at ESPN BET to win the American League Rookie of the Year in 2025.

One thing to know for Milwaukee: Following the departure of Adames, Joey Ortiz is now expected to play shortstop, a position he played just 10 games at last season.

Lineups

Baltimore Orioles at Toronto Blue Jays

The pitching matchup: Zach Eflin vs. Jose Berrios

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Boston Red Sox at Texas Rangers

The pitching matchup: Garrett Crochet vs. Nathan Eovaldi

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Philadelphia Phillies at Washington Nationals

The pitching matchup: Zack Wheeler vs. MacKenzie Gore

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Cleveland Guardians at Kansas City Royals

The pitching matchup:Ben Livelyvs. Cole Ragans

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New York Mets at Houston Astros

The pitching matchup: Clay Holmes vs. Framber Valdez

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San Francisco Giants at Cincinnati Reds

The pitching matchup: Logan Webb vs. Hunter Greene

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Atlanta Braves at San Diego Padres

The pitching matchup: Chris Sale vs. Michael King

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Los Angeles Angels at Chicago White Sox

The pitching matchup: Yusei Kikuchi vs. Sean Burke

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Pittsburgh Pirates at Miami Marlins

The pitching matchup: Paul Skenes vs. Sandy Alcantara

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Minnesota Twins at St. Louis Cardinals

The pitching matchup: Pablo Lopez vs. Sonny Gray

Lineups

Detroit Tigers at Los Angeles Dodgers

The big storyline: The Dodgers already opened their season from Japan last week, but this will be a chance to truly see one of the most talented teams in recent memory for one obvious reason: Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, who missed the two games against the Cubs because of an illness and rib discomfort, respectively, are both expected to start, making the Dodgers' lineup whole for their stateside opener.

Hovering above that will be a marquee pitching matchup featuring two of the game's best left-handers in Skubal, who won the AL Cy Young Award unanimously last year, and Snell, the two-time Cy Young winner who joined the Dodgers on a $182 million contract over the offseason. The Dodgers won't see much better pitchers than Skubal all year, so it'll be interesting to see how they fare. But don't forget that the Tigers are young and ascending and could vie for a division title of their own. -- Alden Gonzalez

One thing to know for Los Angeles: The Dodgers look to become not only the first defending champion to reach the World Series the following season since the 2009 Phillies, but the first repeat title winners since the Yankees won three in a row from 1998-2000.

One thing to know for Detroit: Skubal is the favorite to win the award again at +360, per ESPN BET, which would make him the first AL pitcher to repeat as a Cy Young winner since Pedro Martinez did it in 1999 and 2000.

Lineups

Chicago Cubs at Arizona Diamondbacks

The big storyline: Coming off their 0-2 start in Japan against the Dodgers, the Cubs will look to get the bats going after hitting .172 without a home run in those initial two games. Steele will get the starting assignment after pitching the second game in Tokyo, when he allowed five runs and two home runs in five innings.

Longtime Diamondbacks ace Gallen gets the nod of Arizona, which isn't necessarily odd, except manager Torey Lovullo waited so long to make the decision between Gallen and $210 million free agent Corbin Burnes that he had to start Gallen because Burnes wasn't going to be on his preferred routine -- which means he now won't start until the D-backs' fifth game of the season, against the Yankees. Corbin Carroll had a huge spring training, a good sign for Arizona's chances to repeat in leading the majors in runs scored. -- Schoenfield

One thing to know for Arizona: Ketel Marte's 36 home runs last season were the most by an MLB second baseman since 2021.

One thing to know for Chicago: The Cubs, who are favored to win the NL Central, are seeking to win their first division title in a full season since 2017.

Lineups

Athletics at Seattle Mariners

The big storyline: The Athletics begin on the road, so we'll have to wait until the team's second series of the season against the Cubs to get a first look at their new home park in Sacramento, California(which they're sharing with the Giants' Triple-A affiliate). The A's will be starting a rookie duo at middle infield in shortstop Jacob Wilson, who appeared in 28 games last season, and second baseman Max Muncy (not THAT Max Muncy, although the two improbably also share the same birthdate), a non-roster invite who made the team with Zack Gelof out with a broken hamate bone.

The Mariners will look to continue their recent domination of the A's: They went 21-5 against them the past two seasons. The Mariners didn't have a good spring but ended on a high note when they signed Cal Raleigh to a six-year, $105 million extension that buys out three years of free agency. -- Schoenfield

One thing to know for Seattle: The Mariners have had four consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 2000 to 2003, but spent just $3.5 million on free agents this offseason, which was the second-lowest (behind the Cardinals) of any team in MLB.

One thing to know for the A's: After 57 seasons in Oakland, the A's will be playing at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramentofor the next three seasons before a planned move to Las Vegas.

Lineups

Friday

Colorado Rockies at Tampa Bay Rays

The big storyline: This game was supposed to be about Shane McClanahan's return to the mound after missing 2024, but he went down with nerve irritation in his left triceps in his final spring training start, landing on the IL. Instead, Pepiot will get the ball as the Rays host the Rockies in their adopted home field, George M. Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees' spring training stadium. Two players to watch for the Rays: sophomore third baseman Junior Caminero, who hit four home runs in camp, but otherwise struggled, hitting .149; and infielder Curtis Mead, who hit .529. Mead is expected to get the start at first base, with Yandy Diaz serving as the DH.

For the Rockies, center fielder Brenton Doyle and shortstop Ezequiel Tovar are two of the most exciting defenders in the game -- both won Gold Gloves in 2024 -- but, barring a miracle, the Rockies aren't going to score enough runs to be competitive. -- Schoenfield

One thing to know for Tampa Bay: The Rays will be playing this season's home games at the Yankees' spring training facility after their home park of Tropicana Field sustained damages from Hurricane Milton in October.

One thing to know for Colorado: Doyle, who has won Gold Gloves in each of his first two seasons in the majors, will look to become the third Rockies player to win the award in three consecutive seasons since Nolan Arenado (2013-20) and Hall of Famer Larry Walker (1997-99).