The road to the Fall Classic begins in Tokyo, Japan. Here are the must-know dates and matchups for the 2025 MLB season.
It's officially baseball season.
After weeks of spring training, MLB teams across the country are gearing up for Opening Day -- and two have already played their first game over in Japan. While it may still be chilly in some cities in late March, warmer days are ahead -- and baseball is a sure sign of it.
So, when exactly are the first games of the new season? Who is playing on Opening Day? And where can you watch all the games?
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When is MLB Opening Day in 2025?
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SIGN UP MLB Opening Day is officially scheduled for March 27, 2025.
The defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs got a head start on the action with the MLB Tokyo Series in Japan, starting on March 18 with the Dodgers' victory.
What teams are playing on Opening Day in 2025?
Twenty-eight of the 30 teams will be playing on Opening Day, including the Dodgers and Cubs.
The Tampa Bay Rays and Colorado Rockies are the only two teams who won't suit up on March 27. Their opening series will begin the following day at the Rays' temporary home of George M. Steinbrenner Field.
2025 MLB Opening Day schedule, games and probable starters
Here are the 14 matchups and probable starting pitchers for Opening Day:
| Away team | Home team | Pitching matchup | First pitch time |
| Milwaukee Brewers | New York Yankees | Freddy Peralta vs. Carlos Rodon | 3 p.m. ET |
| Baltimore Orioles | Toronto Blue Jays | Zach Eflin vs. Jose Berrios | 3:07 p.m. ET |
| Philadelphia Phillies | Washington Nationals | Zack Wheeler vs. MacKenzie Gore | 4:05 p.m. ET |
| Boston Red Sox | Texas Rangers | Garrett Crochet vs. Nathan Eovaldi | 4:05 p.m. ET |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | Miami Marlins | Paul Skenes vs. Sandy Alcantara | 4:10 p.m. ET |
| San Francisco Giants | Cincinnati Reds | Logan Webb vs. Hunter Greene | 4:10 p.m. ET |
| Los Angeles Angels | Chicago White Sox | Yusei Kikuchi vs. Sean Burke | 4:10 p.m. ET |
| Cleveland Guardians | Kansas City Royals | TBA vs. Cole Ragans | 4:10 p.m. ET |
| New York Mets | Houston Astros | Clay Holmes vs. Framber Valdez | 4:10 p.m. ET |
| Atlanta Braves | San Diego Padres | Chris Sale vs. Michael King | 4:10 p.m. ET |
| Minnesota Twins | St. Louis Cardinals | Pablo Lopez vs. Sonny Gray | 4:10 p.m. ET |
| Detroit Tigers | Los Angeles Dodgers | Tarik Skubal vs. TBA | 7 p.m. ET |
| Chicago Cubs | Arizona Diamondbacks | TBA vs. TBA | 10:10 p.m. ET |
| Athletics | Seattle Mariners | Luis Severino vs. Logan Gilbert | 10:10 p.m. ET |
How to watch MLB Opening Day 2025
Two games will air nationally on Opening Day: Brewers-Yankees and Tigers-Dodgers.
The two pennant winners from last season will both host Central division interleague foes.
First up, the Brewers travel to Yankees Stadium at 3 p.m. ET with Joe Buck on the call alongside Joe Girardi and Bill Schroeder. The "Monday Night Football" broadcaster hasn't called an MLB game nationally since joining ESPN, but he was formerly the voice of FOX's World Series coverage continuously from 2000 to 2021.
In the nightcap at 7 p.m. ET, reigning AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal will face the defending World Series winners. The Dodgers picked up a win in Tokyo in their season-opener with Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound, but their starting pitcher for Opening Day stateside is still to be announced.
