Opening day is here: Juan Soto debuts, Paul Skenes vs Sandy Alcántara, and more

NEW YORK (news agencies) — Juan Soto, Blake Snell and Clay Holmes debut for new teams, Paul Skenes makes his first opening-day start at age 22 and Sandy Alcántara returns from Tommy John surgery.

A week after the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgersswept an opening two-game series over the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo, 26 other teams get underway Thursday on opening day in the U.S. and Canada.

One day later the Rays and Rockies become the final clubs to take the field, given extra time while Tampa Bay moved into the New York Yankees’ Steinbrenner Field, its temporary home this season after Hurricane Milton destroyed Tropicana Field’s roof.

With Oakland stripped from its name, the cityless Athletics start the first of at least three years at a makeshift minor league home in Sacramento when they host the Cubs on Monday. But first, the A’s start at Seattle with Luis Severino on the mound after he agreed to a team-record $67 million, three-year contract.

Across the majors, Miami’s Clayton McCullough makes his major league managing debut and Cincinnati’s Terry Francona and Will Venable of the Chicago White Sox start tenures with new teams.

Starting pitchers feature a Zack, Zach and Zac.

Action begins in the Bronx when Carlos Rodón makes his first opening day start for the defending AL champion New York Yankees, who are without three-fifths of their starting rotation following injuries to Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt. In addition, Giancarlo Stanton and DJ LeMahieu are hurt.

Freddy Peralta pitches for Milwaukee, which could see former closer Devin Williams for the first time since he buckled in the ninth inning of NL Wild Card Series Game 3, when he allowed a go-ahead, three-run homer to the Mets’ Pete Alonso.

Soto signed a record $765 million, 15-year contract to leave the Yankees and join the Mets, who totaled $1.36 billion in payroll and luxury tax over four years under owner Steve Cohen but remain without a title since 1986.

New York is 41-22 in openers, at .651 the best winning percentage of any franchise. After losing their first eight, the Mets have won 41 of their last 55.

Holmes left the Yankees for a $38 million, three-year deal with the Mets and will make his first start since 2018 with Pittsburgh. Framber Valdez will be on the mound for the Astros.

After winning their second title in a five-year span and eighth overall, the Dodgers lift the World Series flag above Chavez Ravine before their home opener against Detroit.

Snell, a 2018 and ’23 Cy Young Award winner, joined Los Angeles for a $182 million, five-year contract that was part of a spending spree in which the Dodgers committed $458.5 million to nine players. AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal starts for the Tigers, who won 15 of their final 20 games last season, then swept Houston in a Wild Card Series and lost to Cleveland in a five-game Division Series.

Skenes, the NL Rookie of the Year, will be at 22 years, 302 days when he takes the mound at Miami, the youngest opening day starting pitcher since the Marlins’ José Fernández at 21-243 in 2014.

Alcántara makes his first appearance for Miami since Sept. 3, 2023. The 2022 NL Cy Young winner had Tommy John surgery that Oct. 6. Clayton McCullough makes his debut as Marlins manager after replacing Skip Schumaker.