The World Baseball Classic might be over — but there’s more fun just around the corner with MLB opening week.
The 2026 season kicks off with a matchup between the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants on March 25, followed by 11 Opening Day games the next day. The remaining six teams will play their first games of the season on March 27.
Thirty of the best pitchers across the majors will take the mound, including eight who will be making their first ever Opening Day start and15 All-Stars.
What are the most important things to know from the offseason going into the 162-game marathon that is the 2026 season? What are the most exciting matchups? What are some storylines to watch?
We have you covered on everything you need to be prepared for Opening Day, from season previews and analysis to the schedule.
Opening Day schedule
(All times ET)
March 25

The pitching matchup: Max Fried vs. Logan Webb
March 26

The pitching matchup: TBD vs. Freddy Peralta


The pitching matchup: Shane Smith vs. TBD


The pitching matchup:Cade Cavalli vs. Matthew Boyd


The pitching matchup: TBD vs. Trevor Rogers


The pitching matchup:Garrett Crochet vs. Andrew Abbott


The pitching matchup:Jose Soriano vs. Hunter Brown


The pitching matchup: Tarik Skubal vs. TBD


The pitching matchup: Nathan Eovaldi vs. TBD


The pitching matchup:Drew Rasmussen vs. Matthew Liberatore


The pitching matchup:Zac Gallen vs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto


The pitching matchup: TBD vs. TBD
March 27

The pitching matchup: TBD vs. Kevin Gausman


The pitching matchup:Kyle Freeland vs. Sandy Alcantara


The pitching matchup: Cole Ragans vs. TBD
2026 season guides
Jeff Passan’s 2026 season preview
Top breakout players for all 30 teams
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