MLB Opening Day 2025: Top moments and highlights

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Former 1988 World Series hero and champion Kirk Gibson threw out the first pitch to Freddie Freeman, the World Series MVP recipient from the 2024 Los Angeles Dodgers championship team. That’s plenty on its own, given it’s a joining of different generations of Dodgers’ champs together for fans to see, but recall that Freeman played through a rib injury in the 2024 postseason. It might not have looked like it, given his performance, but, like Gibson and the pinch-hit homer he mashed despite a pair of leg injuries, he gutted it out and helped the Dodgers to another ring.

Kyle Stowers hits MLB’s first walk-off of ‘25

Sure, Pittsburgh Pirates fans won’t agree about this being a moment worth remembering from Opening Day, but Kyle Stowers and the Miami Marlins will. Tied 4-4 in the ninth with two on, Stower pulled a ball to right field, just fair, to bring the Fish their first W of the year.

Don’t worry, Bucs’ fans. At least Paul Skenes was on his game. He struck out seven batters, and simply by taking the mound made history, per MLB. Skenes made his first Opening Day start faster than any other No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft had before. 

Austin Wells makes history, not twice, but thrice

Before he even stepped on the field today, New York Yankees‘ catcher Austin Wells made team history as the first-ever backstop to bat leadoff for the club. What he did in that position was of much greater note, however: Wells hit a leadoff home run, which was not only the first-ever leadoff Opening Day homer by a Yankee, but also the first by a catcher for any team.

Orioles go deep, again and again and ag—

If you’re wondering how the Baltimore Orioles scored 13 runs against the Toronto Blue Jays on Opening Day, the answer is homers. Six of them, in fact. Of those half-dozen dingers, two came off of the bat of Cedric Mullins, another pair by Adley Rutchsman — the second of which was followed by a back-to-back jack courtesy Jordan Westburg — and the remaining long ball was Tyler O’Neill’s. That blast marked O’Neill’s sixth consecutive Opening Day homer, which extended a record he had already secured for himself last Opening Day.

MacKenzie Gore channels a Hall of Famer

Lefty MacKenzie Gore struck out 13 batters for the Washington Nationals, which on its own stands as a franchise record for the team on Opening Day. That feat also tied him with Hall of Famer Bob Gibson in another area, though: they’re now the only two pitchers to ever rack up 13 strikeouts and no walks in a scoreless Opening Day outing. 

Cam Smith’s first day on the job

Cam Smith, drafted 14th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft by the Chicago Cubs, was added to the Astros‘ big-league roster for Opening Day despite all of 32 games of experience in the minors. Smith made his case out of the gate, though, by finding a hole on a first-pitch single — the first pitch of the season for him and his big-league career. It would end up as Smith’s lone hit of the day, but taking care of that first one is a relief on its own.

Probably worth noting Mookie Betts‘ performance today given his illness/absence. As of this note he’s 1-2 and they’ve got him at shortstop as planned. 

Enjoy it while you can, White Sox fans.

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