MLB Opening Day: Ranking the 15 matchups from best to worst

1 of 4

PHOENIX, ARIZONA – MARCH 26: General view outside of Chase Field on March 26, 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Arizona Diamondbacks and the Atlanta Braves were scheduled to play a Major League Baseball opening day game tonight, which was postponed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Major League Baseball’s Opening Day is nearly upon us, and it will look much different than the previous two years when COVID-19 restrictions limited attendance. This season, MLB Opening Day is expected to not only be played in full stadiums, but also in front of fans who are thankful to get back to the game and see the strife caused by the recent lockout in the rearview mirror.

With the revised schedule in place after the lockout, Opening Day will be spread over two days, with nine matchups of teams taking the field for the first time on Thursday and six matchups marking the remaining team debuts on Friday.

We looked at all of the MLB Opening Day matchups and ranked them from the best (most interesting) to the worst (least interesting)

As a note, divisional matchups make up 10 of the 15 Opening Day matchups (seven on Thursday and three on Friday).

We start our list with the three least attractive Opening Day matchups.

Number 15: Baltimore Orioles at Tampa Bay Rays (Friday)

It’s a battle of what is expected to be, in Baltimore, the worst team in the American League East (and one that starts our initial power rankings near the bottom) against one of the teams expected to contend for the division title and more in 2022 (Tampa Bay). And, let’s face it, Tropicana Field isn’t even a stadium the Rays even want to be playing in, so that doesn’t help in the excitement building up to the matchup.

Number 14: Cleveland Guardians at Kansas City Royals (Thursday)

In Kansas City, it’s mostly about the future instead of the present, so Royals games will become much more interesting to watch when their full group of exciting prospects arrive on the scene. It is the regular-season debut for the Guardians name and the first for José Ramírez with his new contract extension, but that’s about as exciting as it gets on the Cleveland side.

Number 13: San Diego Padres at Arizona Diamondbacks (Thursday)

On the plus side, it’s a matchup in the National League West. On the minus side, not much is expected of Arizona this season while the Padres are missing Fernando Tatis Jr. because of an offseason injury and are still trying to see exactly what the lineup could look like in 2022. It’s very possible that the Opening Day lineup for San Diego will change dramatically as the season goes along, depending on what the team does with trade candidates Eric Hosmer and Wil Myers.

Apr 8, 2021; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) high fives teammates after being introduced during a pre game opening day ceremony prior to a game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-USA TODAY Sports /

Number 12: Oakland A’s at Philadelphia Phillies (Friday)

Sure, there’s a cool history tie-in here with the Athletics returning to Philadelphia after leaving the city in 1954, but Oakland has undergone a fire sale already this offseason and more could well happen as the season rolls along. This will be our first official look at the rebuilt Phillies (including Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos) as the team tries to make the postseason for the first time since 2011.

Number 11: Miami Marlins at San Francisco Giants (Friday)

Another cross-country Opening Day matchup with two teams that people are still trying to figure out exactly how their seasons are going to go. Will Miami make its way back to the postseason after adding some offseason pieces in Jorge Soler and Jacob Stallings? Will San Francisco be able to account for the loss of Buster Posey behind the plate and in the clubhouse after a record-setting 2021 season?

Number 10: Pittsburgh Pirates at St. Louis Cardinals (Thursday)

There will be plenty of emotion inside Busch Stadium when Albert Pujols is introduced to the St. Louis faithful, but the game will quickly dissolve into a National League Central matchup featuring the Cardinals going against one of the teams expected to be at the bottom of the division (Pittsburgh).

Number 9: Cincinnati Reds at Atlanta Braves (Thursday)

It’s hard to not be excited about watching the World Series champions raise the banner in their ballpark as Atlanta will do prior to Opening Day, but Cincinnati has done nothing this offseason but shed payroll. Thank goodness Jonathan India and Joey Votto are still on the Reds roster as they try to spoil the debut of Matt Olson, Kenley Jansen, and the new-look Braves.

Number 8: Los Angeles Dodgers at Colorado Rockies (Friday)

Opening Day at Coors Field is always a party, and having the rival Dodgers come to town to open the season for the second straight year will certainly keep the atmosphere hopping. Kris Bryant and Randal Grichuk will introduce themselves to Rockies fans as part of a rebuilt Colorado outfield, with Los Angeles Opening Day starter Walker Buehler looking to improve upon his career 5.03 ERA in Denver.

DETROIT, MI – APRIL 01: A wide-angle general view of Comerica Park during the Opening Day game between the Detroit Tigers and the Cleveland Indians at Comerica Park on April 1, 2021 in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers defeated the Indians 3-2. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

Number 7: Chicago White Sox at Detroit Tigers (Friday)

The new-look Tigers get to show right out of the gate how they could measure up in the American League Central. The White Sox, meanwhile, will be out to prove that there is more to this year’s team than last year’s squad that went out in the American League Division Series. Here’s hoping the weather for this Opening Day in Detroit is better than last season’s opener.

Number 6: Texas Rangers at Toronto Blue Jays (Friday)

Jon Gray gets the Opening Day start for the Rangers, just one of several new pieces added to a Rangers roster in what was a busy offseason in the Lone Star State. After a 102-loss season in 2021, there is hope for better days ahead in Texas. Toronto, meanwhile, remade its rotation and lineup as well with some big moves with the goal of winning what will be a very tough American League East.

Number 5: Seattle Mariners at Minnesota Twins (Thursday)

Now batting for your Minnesota Twins … Carlos Correa. Those are words we didn’t think we would hear earlier in the offseason, huh? Well, Correa is just one of several new faces that will debut at Target Field against a Seattle squad that just missed out on the postseason in 2021. Will defending American League Cy Young winner Robbie Ray be the ace the Mariners need? Will Jesse Winker continue his All-Star play in the Seattle outfield after being acquired in a trade?

Number 4: Houston Astros at Los Angeles Angels (Thursday)

It very well could be the Wild West (American League) West this season with Seattle, Texas, and the Angels all making offseason moves in an attempt to knock Houston off the top of the division. Mike Trout returns to the lineup and Shohei Ohtani has settled into the leadoff hitter role for Los Angeles and will be the starting pitcher as well, so fans will get to see plenty of firepower on both sides early in this one.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – APRIL 01: The marquee at Wrigley Field is seen before the Opening Day home game between the Chicago Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 01, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

Number 3: Milwaukee Brewers at Chicago Cubs (Thursday)

Any time the Brewers and Cubs get together, there’s a little extra something in terms of motivation for both teams. Defending National League Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes gets the start for the Brewers and fans will get to see Andrew McCutchen, Christian Yelich, and Hunter Renfroe all in the same Milwaukee lineup. Chicago, meanwhile, is trying to turn the page to the next chapter, with outfielder Seiya Suzuki anxious to show he can make an impact in his MLB debut.

Number 2: New York Mets at Washington Nationals (Thursday)

The New York Mets had quite a quandary for this one: Start Jacob deGrom or Max Scherzer? New skipper Buck Showalter went with deGrom so the Nationals reunion with Scherzer will have to wait.

Note: Things changed dramatically for deGrom and the Mets after a recent MRI however.

Plenty of changes happened in the offseason in New York (will the new faces bring a different result for the Mets?), while Washington will launch the Juan Soto for MVP train against their division rivals. Nelson Cruz returns to the National League for the first time since 2005 as the Washington designated hitter.

Next. 3 teams with plummeting World Series hopes. dark

Number 1: Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees (Thursday)

The last time these two teams saw each other, Boston was celebrating a 6-2 win over the Yankees in the American League Wild Card Game at Fenway Park. Now, the two rivals open the 2022 season at Yankee Stadium with plenty to prove. For the Yankees, will the trade with the Minnesota Twins that altered their catching position and the left side of the infield be enough in what was a fairly quiet offseason in the Bronx? Meanwhile, Boston made a late spring splash by bringing All-Star shortstop Trevor Story on board to play second base and is counting on veterans new to the rotation to carry the starting pitching.

How will the very different offseason plans work for both teams? We’ll get our first glimpse on Thursday.

Home / MLB News