Between the reigning AL champions and a pair of clubs looking to return to the playoffs after missing out last year, there are plenty of storylines to monitor on Friday. Here’s a guide to these six teams whose seasons begin today.
SP matchup: Luis Severino (ATH) vs. Kevin Gausman (TOR) — Severino will make his second straight Opening Day start with the A’s and the third of his career. Gausman will start his third career Opening Day but his first with the Blue Jays. He started in 2017 for the Orioles and in 2021 for the Giants.
See this new face: The Blue Jays were two outs away from winning the World Series last year and didn’t hide their intention to finish the job in 2026, signing Dylan Cease, Kazuma Okamoto, Cody Ponce and Tyler Rogers. For the A’s, their biggest acquisition was trading for long-time Met Jeff McNeil.
Note to know: This will be the first time these clubs face off on Opening Day since 1995-96. The Blue Jays won 13-1 in 1995 in Toronto and 9-6 in 1996 in Oakland.
SP matchup: Kyle Freeland (COL) vs. Sandy Alcantara (MIA) — Freeland and Alcantara will each extend their own franchise records by making their fifth and sixth Opening Day starts, respectively. Both also had relatively triumphant openers in 2025, as Alcantara made his quick return from Tommy John surgery against the Pirates (4.2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 7 K’s) and Freeland bounced back from a brutal 10-run outing against the D-backs in 2024 with six scoreless against the Rays.
See this new face: The Marlins will likely have their new No. 3 prospect, Owen Caissie — acquired via trade from the Cubs in January — in the outfield to start the year, hot on the heels of his fantastic showing for Team Canada in this year’s World Baseball Classic (.412/.476/.765, one HR, 5 RBIs).
Note to know: The Marlins broke a four-year Opening Day losing streak with a 5-4 win over the Pirates in 2025. However, they still have the second-worst Opening Day record in AL/NL history (13-20, .394 winning percentage).
SP matchup: Cole Ragans (KC) vs. Chris Sale (ATL) — Although a left rotator cuff strain cost Ragans his entire second half in 2025, he’ll make his third straight Opening Day start for the Royals, becoming the first pitcher to do so for Kansas City in nearly 20 years (Gil Meche, 2007-09). Sale, the old hand, is receiving Opening Day honors for the seventh time in his illustrious career and for the second time as a member of the Braves.
See this new face: Neither team made major changes over the winter, but expect to get a first look at new Royals outfielder Lane Thomas, who played just 39 games due to injury in 2025 but hit 28 home runs two years ago for the Nationals. Unlikely to start against the left-handed Ragans, a potential option off the bench is Mike Yastrzemski, who signed a two-year, $23 million deal with the Braves in December following an impressive 50-game run with these same Royals in 2025 (.839 OPS, 131 OPS+).
Note to know: New World Baseball Classic champions Ronald Acuña Jr. and Maikel Garcia — who are also cousins, by the way — although no longer teammates, have a shared flair for a strong opening. Garcia hit a leadoff home run on his first Opening Day in 2024, and although Acuña didn’t make his season debut until May 23, he also hit a leadoff home run in his first plate appearance of 2025.