Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world as the 2026 season fully gets underway:
1. Opening Day Part 2:
While the 2026 season officially kicked off last night with the Yankees’ 7-0 romp over the Giants, most of the league will be starting its season today. Thursday’s games kick off at 1:15pm ET, when the Pirates take on the Mets in New York. Games will continue throughout the day before wrapping up with the Guardians facing the Mariners at 7:10pm PT in Seattle, nearly nine hours after the first game of the day. Just one matchup between division rivals is scheduled, as the Diamondbacks head to L.A. for a series against the reigning World Series Champion Dodgers.
2. Will O’Neill continue his streak?
Opening Day brings about many things each year: the start of a new baseball season, room for optimism for almost every fan base in the majors… and an opportunity for Tyler O’Neill to continue one of the wildest streaks in baseball. O’Neill has hit home runs on Opening Day for six consecutive years now, having started his streak as a member of the Cardinals in 2020 and carried through his trip through Boston and into his arrival with Baltimore. Today, he’ll look to continue that streak with the Orioles in their game against the Twins, which is scheduled for 3:05pm ET at Camden Yards. Twins ace Joe Ryan (3.42 ERA in 2025) will be on the mound for Minnesota and looking to build on his first All-Star campaign. Ryan surrendered homers on 12.1% of his fly balls both in 2025 and for his career so far, and gave up 26 total bombs last season. O’Neill is looking to rebound from an injury-wrecked season that saw him bat just .199/.292/.392 with nine home runs in 209 plate appearances.
3. Peralta to make first official Mets start:
Many fans already got a glimpse of right-hander Freddy Peralta in a Mets uniform during Spring Training, when he posted an impressive 2.70 ERA across ten frames. However, today’s matchup between the Mets and Pirates will be the first time Peralta starts a game that actually counts for his new club. His first assignment is a tough draw, as he’ll be battling reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes (1.97 ERA in 2025) while trying to suppress a new-look Pittsburgh lineup. Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds return, but this time they’re surrounded by a supporting cast of offseason additions like Marcell Ozuna, Brandon Lowe, and Ryan O’Hearn. It’s a big test for the Pirates’ offense out the gate, as Peralta finished fifth in NL Cy Young voting last year after firing 176 2/3 innings with a 2.70 ERA and a 28.2% strikeout rate.
Thanks for nothing Netflix
Seek some joy.
Apparently I was not the only one unimpressed with that broadcast.
Xfinity Detroit, channel 1253 for Tiger baseball ! GO TIGERS !
The O’Neill stat is sick
Then it should see a doctor.
$150 to MLBtv, $150 to SNY – season opener on Peacock
At first I was hating missing the Yankees game last night on Netflix but from what I’ve seen this morning, I’m fine with not seeing it.
By selling Netflix a contract to broadcast two games this year, MLB pretty much ensured that the broadcast would be trash. It sucks that the Phillies got the Field of Dreams game and it is on Netflix.
NBC broadcast network has Mets vs. Buccos for Opening Day. New York’s local NBC is doing a 1-hour pre-game show.
That doesn’t help out of market fans
Thanks, Chuck. Can catch it using an OTA antenna like the old days.
It’s been 208 thousand minutes since the final out of the World Series. I thought about this day for each one of those minutes.
Welcome back, baseball!
“Will O’Neill continue his streak?”
I’ll predict “no”.
You probably said that last season too. And the season before that. Baseball is a game of miracles. Never say never.
Unless Stearns is able to sign him during the season, Peralta is a FA after this year, so I expect more great things from him. When guys are in their walk year, many of them have their best seasons and since he is already a stud, he could.win the CY.
Are you implying that some or most ballplayers are only sufficiently motivated to play at their best level during contract years??? Are you going to tell me the Easter Bunny isn’t real next ??
I don’t know what was more surprising yesterday the fact Judge struck out four times or the fact Luis Arraez took a walk in his first at bat of the year.
BTW, how did MLBTR not report that the Yankees put Gerrit Cole on the IL to start the season?
A rare miss from MLBTR
March 19th Chucky: Yankees notes: by Anthony Franco
Sorry Joe Ryan, you know there’s one meatball in your repertoire today.
Go Astros!