Opening Day is one of the most special times of the year for baseball fans. This year was no different. We saw late-game heroics throughout the day, walk-off wins and -- of course -- Opening Day history made.
Before getting into all the fun facts and stats across the league, it's worth mentioning that the Dodgers, who have started 3-0 after sweeping the Tokyo Series and beating the Tigers in their home opener, are the first defending champion to win their first three games since the 2001 Yankees, according to Elias. But this was Opening Day for 26 other teams, with the Rockies and Rays joining the fun on Friday.
Here's a look at some fascinating stats and facts from Opening Day 2025.
Wells starts the season with a bang
Austin Wells made a bit of history by batting leadoff for the Yankees and slugging a home run in his first plate appearance of the season.
- He became the first catcher in franchise history to bat leadoff
- Wells is the first catcher with a leadoff homer on Opening Day in MLB history. (21st leadoff homer overall by a catcher in MLB history)
He¡¯s the first Yankees player at any position with a leadoff homer on Opening Day.
Tyler O'Neill, Opening Day (home run) legend
Tyler O'Neill has mastered the art of homering in season openers. O¡¯Neill homered on Opening Day for the sixth straight year, continuing his AL/NL record that he set last year with the Red Sox. The fact that the Canada native did so against the Blue Jays in Toronto had to feel even better for O¡¯Neill.
Orioles slug their way to Opening Day win
O¡¯Neill wasn¡¯t the only Oriole with a big day at the plate. Baltimore crushed six home runs in a 12-2 win against the Blue Jays, making the Orioles the fourth team with six or more home runs on Opening Day (the Dodgers last did it in 2019). Adley Rutschman and Cedric Mullins both hit two home runs, which was just the 10th time since 1901 that a team has had two multi-HR performances on Opening Day (the 2019 Dodgers were also the last team). Sam Horn (1990) and Brooks Robinson (1973) are the only other Orioles/Browns players with multi-homer games on Opening Day.
This also marked the third straight season that the Orioles scored 10-plus runs on Opening Day (10 runs vs. Boston in 2023, 11 runs vs. the Angels in 2024), tying an MLB record set by the 1994-96 Brewers and 1893-95 Reds, according to Elias.
Gore stymies Phillies bats in dazzling performance
Talk about an impressive first Opening Day start. Facing a vaunted Phillies lineup with plenty of starpower, MacKenzie Gore dominated in six scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while striking out 13 batters and walking none. Gore joined Bob Gibson (1967) as the only pitchers in AL/NL history with 13 strikeouts and no walks in a scoreless outing on Opening Day. While the Nationals ultimately lost in extra innings, it didn't take away from a remarkable effort from their left-hander.
Abreu plays hero for the Red Sox
Wilyer Abreu had a remarkable performance in Boston¡¯s season-opening win against the Rangers, capped by his dramatic game-winning three-run home run in the ninth inning. Abreu went 3-3 with a pair of home runs, four RBI and a walk and became the first Red Sox hitter with a multi-homer performance on Opening Day since Dustin Pedroia and Hanley Ramirez in 2015. Abreu also joined Rougned Odor (2017) as the only Venezuelan-born players with two home runs on Opening Day.
Manzardo¡¯s extra-base frenzy
Kyle Manzardo had big shoes to fill entering the season to replace the departed Josh Naylor. Manzardo wasted no time starting his season on a high note by finishing a single shy of the cycle. He joined Don Baylor (1973) and Gee Walker (1937) as the only players since 1901 with a home run, triple and a double on Opening Day.
The Giants¡¯ left-field carousel continues
Heliot Ramos homered for the Giants in left field, a position that has seen plenty of change in the last two decades. The Giants have started a different player in left field each year since 2007, a streak that dates to Barry Bonds¡¯ final year. 19 straight years pulls the Giants into a tie with the 1937-55 Browns/Orioles, also in left field, for the longest streak of Opening Days starting a different player, with no repeaters, at any particular position since 1900, according to Elias.
The Wilmer Flores-Buster Posey connection
In Buster Posey¡¯s first game as Giants' president of baseball Operations, Wilmer Flores proved to be the hero with a game-winning three-run home run in the ninth inning against the Reds. Get this:
- The last Giant to hit a game-winning home run in the 9th inning or later on Opening Day? Of course, it was Posey in 2014 against the D-backs in Arizona.
- Flores didn¡¯t just do this on any day -- he did it on Posey¡¯s 38th birthday. As our own Sarah Langs always says, birthdays are important!
- There¡¯s also the fact that Flores hit his huge home run at Great American Ballpark, where Posey hit his pivotal grand slam in Game 5 of the 2012 NLDS to help San Francisco advance to the next round and an eventual World Series title.
- According to Elias, Flores joins Posey and Benito Santiago (2003) as the only Giants to do so in the San Francisco era.
Late comeback in Seattle
Mariners' bats were stifled by an excellent effort from Luis Severino, who tossed six scoreless innings in his A¡¯s debut. Once the Athletics went to the bullpen, Seattle¡¯s hitters woke up. Down 2-1 in the 8th inning, Randy Arozarena crushed a game-tying solo home run that traveled 424 feet, adding in a dramatic bat flip to boot. Two batters later, Jorge Polanco hit a go-ahead two-run homer that proved to be the game-winner.
Amaya's big opener for the Cubbies
Miguel Amaya played an unexpected role when he tied a career high with five RBI in a 10-6 Cubs win on Opening Day. He became just the fifth AL/NL catcher since 1901 with five runs driven on Opening Day, joining J.P. Arencibia (2011), Ivan Rodriguez (2000), Carlton Fisk (1973) and Yogi Berra (1956). Amaya also joined Arencibia (2011) and Van Mungo (1935) as the only No. 9 hitters since 1901 to drive in five runs in the season opener.
A first for the Marlins
With a 5-4 walk-off victory over the Pirates, the Marlins won in walk-off fashion on Opening Day for the first time in franchise history. Kyle Stowers' single to right field off Pittsburgh closer David Bednar scored Javier Sanoja and got Miami on the board for Opening Day walk-off victories. The only club without a walk-off win on Opening Day is the Padres, who have been on the losing end of an Opening Day walk-off five times.
Hader wins showdown vs. Soto
Juan Soto, making his Mets debut, came to bat in the ninth inning with the game on the line against Astros closer Josh Hader. Soto has had multiple big hits against Hader over the years -- most memorably his go-ahead hit in the eighth inning of the 2019 NL Wild Card Game. But this time, with the tying runs on base, two outs and a full count, Hader struck out Soto on a nasty slider to end the game. It was just the second time in Soto's career that he struck out to end a game with a chance to tie it or put his team in front. The other was on May 2, 2023 against Reds closer Alexis D¨ªaz while Soto was with the Padres.
Sheets starts Padres¡¯ tenure with a bang
The Padres rode a four-run seventh inning in a comeback win against the Braves at Petco Park. Kickstarting that comeback was Gavin Sheets -- signed by the Padres to a Minor League deal in February -- who tied the game with a pinch-hit solo home run. Sheets became just the third Padres player with a pinch-hit home run in his first at-bat with the franchise, joining Seth Smith (who also did in Opening Day in 2014) and Marty Barrett (1991).
Torkelson's one-of-a-kind opener
The Tigers lost a tight game against the Dodgers in Los Angeles, but Spencer Torkelson, for his part, was statistically perfect. Detroit's DH tied an Opening Day record by walking four times, becoming just the 14th player to do so in a season opener. And when he did take the bat off his shoulder -- just the once, in the 7th inning -- he crushed a 108.5 mph, 423-foot home run. Torkelson is the first player since 1901 to have at least one homer and four walks on Opening Day, and in wrapping up his day there, ended the day with a cool 5.000 OPS.
Chourio¡¯s chagrin
In the Brewers¡¯ 4-2 loss to the Yankees in the Bronx, Jackson Chourio struck out five times, becoming the third player since 1901 to fan five times on Opening Day. He joined White Sox catcher Ron Karkovice (five strikeouts against the Mariners in 1996) and Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy (five strikeouts against the D-backs in 2023).