Everything you need to know about Opening Day 2025

March 24th, 2025

The 2025 Major League Baseball season is officially underway for the Cubs and Dodgers. For the other 28 teams, it will be here before you know it. Here is everything you need to know to get ready as we gear up for the league-wide Opening Day.

When and where did the 2025 regular season begin?

On Tuesday in Tokyo, where the Dodgers embarked on their title defense by defeating the Cubs, 4-1, in a Tokyo Series Game 1 filled with memorable moments. This was the sixth time in its history that MLB has staged a season opener in Japan. In Wednesday's Game 2, the Dodgers came out on top again, 6-3, highlighted by Shohei Ohtani's first homer of the season.

While the Dodgers previously played abroad (in Australia, Mexico and South Korea), this is the franchise's first time competing in Japan. And they are doing so while featuring reigning NL MVP Shohei Ohtani, as well as starting pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto (who won Game 1) and rookie phenom Roki Sasaki (who will start Game 2).

The Cubs faced the Mets in MLB's first series opener in Japan back in 2000, but this time they brought along two Japanese players, in outfielder Seiya Suzuki and pitcher Shota Imanaga, one of 2024's top rookies, who started Game 1 opposite Yamamoto.

When will it be Opening Day for every team?

Besides the Cubs and Dodgers, 26 other teams will celebrate Opening Day on Thursday, March 27. Originally, every team was slated to be in action on that date.

However, the Rockies-Rays matchup was moved back a day, to March 28, to allow more time to prepare George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla. That facility, the Spring Training home of the Yankees, will serve as the Rays' home park in 2025 due to the damage that Tropicana Field sustained during Hurricane Milton last October.

What is my team's season-opening matchup?

Here is a look at the first game of the 2025 season for all 30 MLB teams:

Did you like this story?