Why we’re seeing more — and better — Russian goalies in the NHL than ever before
One of the first things Evgeni Nabokov did after retiring from the NHL in 2015 was to fly back to Moscow so he could visit friends and watch hockey with them.
There was a night when Nabokov and his friends were joined by Vladislav Tretiak — yes, the man considered to be one of the greatest goaltenders of all time — and they went to watch a game where the focal point was the opposing young goalies.
“Who do you think those young kids were? It was [Igor] Shesterkin and [Ilya] Sorokin. I had no idea who they were,” said Nabokov, whose 353 career victories are the most by a Russian goalie in NHL history. “I watched five minutes and everyone starts asking me what I think of them. I said I’d hate to make any judgments five minutes into the game. That’s when everybody said, ‘Watch, that is the next generation of kids coming.'”
Little did Nabokov know the statement made by his friends cosplaying as soothsayers about the future of Russian goaltending would be both correct and applicable to more up-and-comers than just Shesterkin and Sorokin.
The NHL has had Russian goaltenders before. But what’s being done by the current group — and what is expected to lie ahead — has many considering this to be a golden age of Russian goaltending in the league.
Shesterkin is the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, and he and Sorokin, who are longtime friends, became first-time NHL All-Stars this season while playing for the rival New York Rangers and New York Islanders, respectively. Then there’s Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, who became a five-time All-Star this season to go with his two Stanley Cups, his Conn Smythe Award and his Vezina, accomplishing all that before turning 29.
“Shesterkin, I have played against him since we were 6 years old. … He was on such a bad team,” Calgary Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov said. “My team would beat them 16-0. Even when we were 13, 14 years old. It was kind of a surprise for me where he ended up. Sorokin, he was from a small city. He was my age too, but he had never been to national teams or anything like that. So I had never heard of him, but then he became good.
“Vasilevskiy has always been great. Everyone’s been talking about Vasilevskiy since he was 10, probably.”
Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky became the first Russian to win the Vezina in 2012-13, won a second Vezina in 2016-17 and is six wins away from surpassing Nabokov’s record for most wins by a Russian goalie. Sorokin’s partner with the Islanders, Semyon Varlamov, who in 2006 was the first Russian goaltender to be a first-round NHL draft pick, was a longtime starter who is closing in on being only the fourth Russian goalie with 300 wins.
Shesterkin’s former Rangers partner, the Bulgarian-born Alexandar Georgiev, is a dual Russian citizen who has emerged as a No. 1 goaltender with the defending Cup champion Colorado Avalanche. The Toronto Maple Leafs have watched Ilya Samsonov regain the consistency that led to a successful start to his career but eluded him toward the end of his time with the Washington Capitals, the team that drafted him with a first-round pick in 2015.
Among Bobrovsky, Shesterkin and Vasilevskiy, a Russian has won the Vezina four times in the last 10 seasons. That’s the most of any nation in that time, with Canada having three winners, Finland having two and the United States having one.
And then there are those awaiting their turn. The Carolina Hurricanes have made it clear that Pyotr Kochetkov is their goalie of the future, having signed him to a four-year extension. The Columbus Blue Jackets have seen glimpses of a bright future with Daniil Tarasov, whereas the Nashville Predators used a first-round pick in 2020 to select Yaroslav Askarov, who already played one game with the Preds in what is his first full campaign in North America.
In all, 10 Russian goaltenders have played in the NHL this year. That is tied with Sweden for the third most of all nationalities, per QuantHockey. Yet the most telling part about that statistic is there have been only 23 goalies who have identified as Russian in NHL history, so nearly half of them have played this season.
“When you look at how [Ilya] Bryzgalov, [Nikolai] Khabibulin and Nabokov played, it gave us a chance that we could do it,” Shesterkin said. “They helped so much. We didn’t have a lot of goalies before from Russia. But right now, you can see we have a lot of Russian goalies. Old ones, young ones, we have a lot more in Russia too. I think they helped us a lot. I think they showed us what we had to do.”
ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT the foundation of the current wave of Russian goaltenders in the NHL has to begin with Tretiak, who retired in 1984 at age 32 while still a top-level goalie. His performances for the Soviet Union were legendary and his training methods have had a lasting impact.
Old footage throughout the years revealed how Tretiak concentrated on details such as his agility, flexibility, lateral movement and positioning. Tretiak once showed Wayne Gretzky a few of those drills. There was one in which Tretiak squatted and kicked out his legs, which was said to have drawn inspiration from a Cossack dance troupe. He then continued with the drill while simultaneously juggling tennis balls.
But as Shesterkin, among others, has said, the group of goalies that included Bryzgalov, Khabibulin and Nabokov was also rather important. They became critical role models for a younger generation back home who would wake up at bizarre hours to watch their games or find YouTube clips of them and draw inspiration.
There had been only three Russian goalies in NHL history prior to Bryzgalov, Khabibulin and Nabokov. Sergei Mylnikov was the first in league history. He came to North America at 31 and played 10 games with the Quebec Nordiques in the 1989-90 season. He was followed by Andrei Trefilov and Mikhail Shtalenkov. Trefilov played 58 career games spread out over eight seasons in the 1990s, while Shtalenkov played 190 games in seven seasons from 1993 to 2000.
Khabibulin was a five-time All-Star who became the first Russian goaltender to win a Stanley Cup in 2004 with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Bryzgalov became the second, winning the Cup with Anaheim in 2007, while Nabokov won a Calder Trophy in addition to becoming a two-time All-Star. Each of them had long careers, with Khabibulin playing 799 games, Nabokov 697 and Bryzgalov 465.
“Obviously now, we have social media and have access to all this stuff,” said Nabokov, who grew up in what is now known as Kazakhstan. “Back in the day, we did not have that access. We didn’t know what they thought or if they were watching our games. If a game is at 7 p.m. in California, it is 5 a.m. or 6 a.m. in Moscow or Kazakhstan. You never think about stuff like that.”
Bryzgalov and Nabokov both said they never really thought about whether their success was having an impact back home in Russia. Nor did they sit around and have those conversations among the three of them. Bryzgalov said the only times he was in the same place as Khabibulin and Nabokov were international tournaments that were so quick, there was not really time to get into deep, philosophical conversations.
“You have to ask the younger generation who came after us and if they looked at us or if we had any impact on their game or their maturity while they were growing up,” Bryzgalov said. “For us, it is like history. It is only the future generations who can really judge the history, not the people who made that history.”
How impactful was that group of goaltenders to the younger generation?
“We’ve been watching them since we were kids,” said Vasilevskiy, whose father was a goalie and played against Nabokov back home. “We were watching them and imagining ourselves in the net. It was a great example for us that anything’s possible and if you work hard, one day, you can be like them. I had a chance to play with Nabokov my rookie year here and it was such a great experience. You’ve been watching that guy on TV for so many years and now you’re in the locker room talking to him. It was unbelievable.”
HOW BRYZGALOV AND Nabokov each reached the NHL shows that the Russian development model back then was not monolithic. Nabokov, now the director of goaltending and goalie coach for the San Jose Sharks, is the son of a goaltender who also played professionally. When he was coming up, they worked on technical aspects of the position, but it was never classified as “goalie sessions or goalie practices,” Nabokov said.
Nabokov said the goalies played 3-on-3 cross-ice games while wearing their full equipment. Playing those games taught them how to be better stickhandlers while feeling more comfortable with their skating. They would also have lessons about the natural way to hold a stick and the natural way to slide.
Bryzgalov said he never had a goalie coach until he arrived in North America after being drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in 2000.
“I was like a wildflower just growing in the field,” Bryzgalov said. “Sometimes, it is the most beautiful flowers that grow in the field. In the spring, you go in the mountains and are like, ‘What is on the field?’ and you see flowers just blossom everywhere. That is how I was growing up.”
Bryzgalov said goalie coaches were not common in Russia at that time. He would receive instructions from the forward coach about basic ideas on how to position his stick to prevent goals, mostly things he already had figured out on his own.
He said the mentality was direct: A far-side goal is just a great shot. A five-hole goal is an accident. He’d ask about backdoor goals and was told to not worry about it because that was a defenseman’s responsibility.
Nabokov said the approach to goaltending in the 1980s and ’90s was nowhere near as technical as it is today. He said being a goaltender was more about using your athletic ability and having great hands. Having great hands usually meant a goaltender would have good reactions.
It was more about agility and flexibility than anything else. Nabokov said they shied away from heavy weightlifting while concentrating more on exercises that strengthened their legs while also keeping them quick.
“Tennis balls were involved all the time,” Nabokov said. “When you are a kid, as soon as you get to the locker room, the coaches tell you that you should sleep with a tennis ball and bounce the tennis ball against the wall and do certain drills. They’d tell you to even sleep with a tennis ball so you could get used to it with your eyes. Now, they call that tracking.”
A number of those drills that Nabokov and others used were inspired by Tretiak. They were passed down through the generations that included Vasilevskiy, who said he still uses quite a bit of what he learned as a child and applies it to his daily routine.
Vasilevskiy said he was around 6 or 7 when he started doing lunges while simultaneously juggling two or three balls at a time. That way, he could improve his agility and strengthen his core and legs while sharpening his hand-eye coordination.
He smiles while openly admitting some of what he does may look bizarre. But it gets results.
“Even now, I am still doing some stuff on the Swiss ball that still looks weird. Like if another player sees this, he’s like, ‘What the f— are you doing?'” Vasilevskiy said. “It looks weird, but it helps. But goalies are also weird. I’ve been doing those drills in the gym for a long time.”
Goalie coaches in Russia are starting to implement more of the technical aspects of the game, Vasilevskiy said.
Shesterkin said there are a number of good goalie coaches in Russia, but sees Rashit Davydov as one of the most influential figures. A former goalie himself, Davydov has been a fixture in Russian hockey for nearly 20 years, having worked for clubs such as Dynamo Moscow and SKA St. Petersburg. Davydov also worked for the Russian Hockey Federation for eight seasons.
Shesterkin said Davydov has also worked with Bobrovsky, Sorokin and Vasilevskiy.
“He always looked at the small things,” Shesterkin said. “Rashit, he sees what different people cannot see. He worked with me mentally. We worked every day 30 minutes before practice with my goalie drills like skating. If I did a bad angle on a reverse, he’d say, ‘What are you doing?'”
WHILE THE TECHNICAL aspects are being taught, the trait that was discussed the most when it came to Russian goalies was their overall physical profile, which emphasizes agility, lateral movements, quickness, size and speed.
Hurricanes goalie coach Paul Schonfelder has been impressed by how practically every Russian goalie in the NHL has those attributes in great supply. His fascination stems from an Ottawa summer goalie camp that he worked at that was run by current Arizona Coyotes goaltending development coach Charlie McTavish.
McTavish and Schonfelder had a connection with a Russian agent who lived in Ottawa, himself a former goalie. He’d send his clients who were playing in Russia to Ottawa for these summer camps so they could work with North American goalie coaches to help further their development.
Vasilevskiy was one of the goalies that McTavish and Schonfelder worked with during those camps. Schonfelder said Vasilevskiy attended the camp for around five years. Seeing Vasilevskiy and the rest of the Russian goalies who came to Ottawa forced Schonfelder to take a deeper look at what made them so dynamic.
“One of the reasons they wanted to come over here is the way we train goalies in North America is a more structured approach,” Schonfelder said. “They had the athletic base, but now they were older and they needed a structure to round out the technical game. When we saw these guys, they did certain things technically that made you say, ‘Wow, that’s not right. That does not really look great.’ But they found a way to make the save and get it done.”
Schonfelder deduced that those goaltenders were allowed to make and learn from mistakes while incorporating a strong athletic base before adding the needed structure to become more complete. He said that differs from the North American approach, in which there are children as young as 7 with private goalie coaches who gain so much structure early on that they trust that instead of their athleticism.
In the 2017-18 season, Schonfelder was hired by the Hurricanes as a goaltending consultant before his current role as the team’s goalie coach. Part of his job was scouting prospects, and there was one who checked every box in terms of being that athletic Russian goalie who offered quite a bit of promise.
That goalie was Kochetkov.
Hurricanes assistant general manager Darren Yorke said Kochetkov was a classic example of a late bloomer. Yorke said Kochetkov’s first international exposure came at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championships, where he helped guide Russia to a gold medal. From there, the Canes were able to get footage of Kochetkov from earlier games while also monitoring what he did the rest of his season.
“I think it was the athleticism first and foremost for me,” Yorke said of Kochetkov, whom the Canes chose in the second round (No. 36 overall) in the 2019 draft. “It was just the explosiveness. He can go from one side of the crease to the other. It’s really breathtaking to say the least. I remember sitting there live and watching the World Juniors and watching him move side to side in the crease. It almost seemed routine with that athleticism because of how he used it to play.”
Yorke said there is never that one moment when a team is sure someone is the player for them. He said the decision to draft a player for the Canes comes back to how the team evaluates the player while remaining grounded with each piece of information it receives.
Schonfelder and Yorke speak about Kochetkov with a measured tone. On one hand, maybe he can follow the path of his countrymen and be the next bona fide No. 1 goaltender from Russia. On the other, they want him to be his own player and not weigh him down with expectations at a time when Russian goalies are making their mark.
“I want to say he could be the next guy,” Schonfelder said. “I don’t want to say he is the next Vasilevskiy because there is only one. It’s a very young stage in his NHL career. But I will be honest with you, I thought that in my head when I first watched him play and I first scouted him, that this guy has what you see with the Russian goalies in the NHL. You take a goalie in the second round, you have expectations that this guy is going to be a really good goaltender for your NHL team.”
Lightning goalie coach Frantz Jean, who has worked with Vasilevskiy since he came to the NHL, was asked what stood out about the current crop of Russian goalies.
His answer? Some of what we are seeing seems rather familiar.
“I think there’s a cycle to it,” Jean said. “There’s been that Quebec farm system for a long time during the ’80s and ’90s. Then it was the Finns and then it was the Swedes. Now for the past six, seven, eight years — probably close to a decade — it has been the Russian goaltenders.”
Jean continued by saying another attribute that makes Russian goaltenders different — beyond their physical traits — is their skating. He said they can quickly move and pivot, which places them ahead of goalies from other nations when it comes to the power they can generate and the precision that comes with it.
“I think all the countries are on the same page with how the goalies should play now,” Jean said. “You can have the same technique for all the goalies, but if you are able to identify the best athletes and teach that technique — and it’s like this in any sport — now you’ve got something really special.”
All the talk about Russian goalies has led to another question: What could have happened if NHL players had been allowed to go to the most recent Olympics?
Every nation would have faced a number of fascinating roster possibilities if NHL players had been allowed to participate. Figuring out which three goalies would have made the Russian Olympic Committee team was one of them. Vasilevskiy already had a spot because he was part of the first three players named to the ROC’s initial roster along with Lightning teammate Nikita Kucherov and Capitals left winger Alexander Ovechkin.
“At some point I looked and asked myself, ‘How do I make a choice here?'” said Nabokov, who would have been the ROC’s goalie coach. “It’s almost like you can dream of having that many good goaltenders. But I have to pick three. Then, I have to pick the one who is going to play. … It’s just unreal. You can probably say three of them are among the five best goalies in the world.”
TORONTO — Baltimore Orioles outfielder Tyler O’Neill hit a three-run home run off the Toronto Blue Jays‘ Jose Berrios in the third inning of Thursday’s game, extending his major league record by homering for a sixth straight Opening Day.
Playing a season-opening game in his home country of Canada for the first time, O’Neill connected on a two-out, 2-1 sinker, driving in Colton Cowser and Adley Rutschman and putting Baltimore up 4-0.
“When he hit it, I think everyone was just going crazy because that’s just such an amazing feat,” Rutschman said. “It was just so cool to see.”
O’Neill went 3 for 3 with two walks and scored three runs in the 12-2 victory. He said it was meaningful to have a strong performance with several of his family in the crowd.
“Very special,” O’Neill said. “I’ve had a great day so far. Playing in Toronto is always special for me.”
The Orioles hit a franchise record six Opening Day home runs in the rout.
O’Neill’s Opening Day home run streak began with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2020 and continued for four seasons, matching a mark held by Todd Hundley (1994-97), Gary Carter (1977-80) and Yogi Berra (1955-58).
O’Neill took sole possession of the mark when he connected in his lone Opening Day with the Boston Red Sox in 2024.
Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde called O’Neill’s streak “mind-boggling,” adding that he has quickly learned to appreciate everything his new outfielder brings to the clubhouse.
“Awesome personality,” Hyde said of O’Neill. “I love how hard-nosed he is. He’s a team guy.”
O’Neill arrived at the stadium carrying two boxes of donuts from the Canadian chain Tim Hortons to share with his Baltimore teammates. He did the same thing when visiting Toronto with the Red Sox last season.
Hyde said he’d have no problem with O’Neill repeating the donut delivery on Friday.
“Whatever works,” Hyde said. “Wear the same clothes. Whatever he did today, do it tomorrow.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
MLB Opening Day has finally arrived!
Twenty-eight of 30 teams will be in action Thursday, with the opening matchup between the Colorado Rockies and Tampa Bay Rays scheduled for Friday.
The New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers will get things started on ESPN at 3:05 p.m. ET. Soon after, things will really heat up with nine games scheduled to begin between 4:05 p.m. ET and 4:15 p.m. ET — highlighted by Juan Soto‘s debut for the New York Mets at the Houston Astros and an NL showdown between the Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres.
Later, the Los Angeles Dodgers will raise their World Series banner before taking on the Detroit Tigers at 7:10 p.m. ET on ESPN. That’s followed by two late-night games on the West Coast, including Zac Gallen and the Arizona Diamondbacks against the Chicago Cubs.
What are we looking for as the season gets started? Our reporters give their pregame takes from the ballparks, and we’ll also post lineups as they are announced and live updates throughout the day, followed by takeaways from each game as it concludes.
Season preview: Power Rankings | Predictions | Moves that rocked offseason
ESPN+: Passan’s bold predictions, breakout stars | Aces in new places
All “one thing to know” stats courtesy of ESPN Research.
Jump to a matchup:
MIL-NYY | BAL-TOR | BOS-TEX | PHI-WSH | CLE-KC
NYM-HOU | SF-CIN | ATL-SD | LAA-CHW | PIT-MIA
MIN-STL | DET-LAD | CHC-ARI | ATH-SEA | COL-TB
Thursday, March 27
Milwaukee Brewers at New York Yankees
First pitch: 3:05 p.m. ET on ESPN
The pitching matchup: Freddy Peralta vs. Carlos Rodón
The big storyline: The post-Juan Soto era begins with Gerrit Cole and Giancarlo Stanton missing as well. New York’s tumultuous winter — the Cole opt-out-and-back-in, Soto’s departure to Queens, the pivot, the injuries — leaves the defending American League champions with a to-be-defined future. Were Cole not out for the season after Tommy John surgery, and Stanton not sidelined indefinitely with bilateral elbow pain, the Yankees would feel confident about their season. Now, there are questions about who can step up alongside Aaron Judge to carry New York.
Milwaukee shares some of those are-they-as-good-as-last-year questions after losing shortstop Willy Adames in free agency and trading closer Devin Williams to … the Yankees. With Jackson Chourio‘s impending superstar turn and a team that always seems to manage to win, the Brewers still have enough talent to remain the class of the NL Central. — Jeff Passan
One thing to know for New York: Left fielder Jasson Dominguez is the favorite (+400) at ESPN BET to win the American League Rookie of the Year in 2025.
One thing to know for Milwaukee: Following the departure of Adames, Joey Ortiz is now expected to play shortstop, a position he played just 10 games at last season.
Lineups
Brewers
Jackson Chourio (R) LF
Christian Yelich (L) DH
William Contreras (R) C
Rhys Hoskins (R) 1B
Sal Frelick (L) RF
Joey Ortiz (R) SS
Garrett Mitchell (L) CF
Vinny Capra (R) 3B
Brice Turang (L) 2B
Yankees
Austin Wells (L) C
Aaron Judge (R) RF
Cody Bellinger (L) CF
Paul Goldschmidt (R) 1B
Jazz Chisholm Jr. (L) 2B
Jasson Dominguez (S) LF
Anthony Volpe (R) SS
Ben Rice (L) DH
Oswaldo Cabrera (S) 3B
First pitch: 3:07 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Zach Eflin vs. Jose Berrios
The big storyline: This AL East matchup is most notable for who won’t be playing. MVP contender Gunnar Henderson will begin the season on the injured list with an intercostal strain that limited him to three games in spring training. The Orioles are hoping it’s just a few days before his return, and they better hope that’s the case as they begin the season with the Blue Jays, Red Sox, Royals, Diamondbacks and Guardians for their first 20 games. The good news: Adley Rutschman, after struggling the final three months of 2024, had a terrific spring. Also, a fun fact: Orioles outfielder Tyler O’Neill will be looking to homer on Opening Day for the sixth year in a row.
For the Blue Jays, the biggest story remains Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s contract status, as extension discussions continued up to Opening Day. The Jays believe that it will eventually happen and will look for Anthony Santander, coming off a 44-homer season with Baltimore, to do some damage against his former team. — David Schoenfield
One thing to know for Toronto: If Guerrero reaches 200 hits in his walk year of 2025 — he finished one hit shy last season — he and his father, Vladimir Guerrero Sr., would be the first father-son duo in MLB history to each have a 200-hit season.
One thing to know for Baltimore: The Orioles are seeking to make the playoffs for a third consecutive season for the first time since reaching the World Series from 1969-71.
Lineups
Orioles
Colton Cowser (L) LF
Adley Rutschman (S) C
Jordan Westburg (R) 2B
Ryan O’Hearn (L) DH
Tyler O’Neill (R) RF
Ryan Mountcastle (R) 1B
Cedric Mullins (L) CF
Ramon Urias (R) 3B
Jackson Holliday (L) SS
Blue Jays
Bo Bichette (R) SS
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (R) 1B
Anthony Santander (S) LF
Andres Gimenez (L) 2B
Alejandro Kirk (R) C
George Springer (R) CF
Will Wagner (L) DH
Ernie Clement (R) 3B
Alan Roden (L) RF
First pitch: 4:05 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Garrett Crochet vs. Nathan Eovaldi
The big storyline: Red Sox fans will get their first look at their new ace. Crochet, acquired from the White Sox, led all pitchers with at least 100 innings last season in strikeout rate, whiffing 209 in 146 innings. With a better defense behind him than what he had in Chicago, combined with a projected increase in innings, he’s a leading Cy Young contender. That defense will include Kristian Campbell, the consensus minor league player of the year, who earned a roster spot and should start at second base, giving the Red Sox another right-handed bat for the lineup. Campbell hit under .200 in spring training, but his at-bats got better throughout the spring and Alex Cora praised his defensive improvement.
The Rangers will hope their World Series-winning offense of 2023 shows up: They scored 198 fewer runs in 2024. — Schoenfield
One thing to know for Texas: Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker, who were college teammates at Vanderbilt in 2021, both made the Opening Day roster for the Rangers and will anchor the back end of the rotation.
One thing to know for Boston: New addition Alex Bregman has had great success at Fenway Park, batting .375 with 7 home runs and 15 RBIs in 21 career games to go with a 1.240 OPS, the best in MLB history among players with at least 90 plate appearances there.
Lineups
Red Sox
Jarren Duran (L) LF
Rafael Devers (L) DH
Alex Bregman (R) 3B
Triston Casas (L) 1B
Trevor Story (R) SS
Kristian Campbell (R) 2B
Wilyer Abreu (L) RF
Connor Wong (R) C
Ceddanne Rafaela (R)
Rangers
Marcus Semien (R) 2B
Corey Seager (L) DH
Wyatt Langford (R) LF
Adolis Garcia (R) RF
Jake Burger (R) 1B
Josh Jung (R) 3B
Kevin Pillar (R) CF
Kyle Higashioka (R) C
Josh Smith (L) SS
First pitch: 4:05 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Zack Wheeler vs. MacKenzie Gore
The big storyline: No team has played more playoff games than the Phillies the past three seasons — and they’re hoping to make it the most over four seasons. Wheeler makes his second career Opening Day start after tossing six scoreless innings last year. The names in the lineup will be mostly the same, although manager Rob Thomson may mix things up a bit this season. Kyle Schwarber hit leadoff all 149 games he started last year, but look for Trea Turner to hit leadoff against left-handers, which will be the case with Gore. Bryce Harper has five career home runs on Opening Day — but none with the Phillies.
The Nationals will feature young outfielders James Wood and Dylan Crews making their Opening Day debuts. Crews retains his rookie status after coming up late last season and should be one of the top candidates for Rookie of the Year. — Schoenfield
One thing to know for Washington: The Nationals will open the season with three exciting young players patrolling the outfield in Wood, Jacob Young and Crews, the No. 6 prospect in baseball per ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel.
One thing to know for Philadelphia: While the Phillies’ core remains intact for 2025, they will have decisions to make on two key players who are both free agents at the end of this season: DH Schwarber, who has hit the third-most home runs in MLB since 2022, and catcher J.T. Realmuto.
Lineups
Phillies
Trea Turner (R) SS
Bryce Harper (L) 1B
Alec Bohm (R) 3B
Kyle Schwarber (L) DH
J.T. Realmuto (R) C
Max Kepler (L) LF
Nick Castellanos (R) RF
Bryson Stott (L) 2B
Brandon Marsh (L) CF
Nationals
CJ Abrams (L) SS
James Wood (L) LF
Luis Garcia Jr. (L) 2B
Josh Bell (S) DH
Nathaniel Lowe (L) 1B
Paul DeJong (R) 3B
Keibert Ruiz (S) C
Dylan Crews (R) RF
Jacob Young (R) CF
First pitch: 4:10 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Ben Lively vs. Cole Ragans
The big storyline: The Guardians got off to a roaring start last season and were never out of first place after April 13. The bullpen led the way with Emmanuel Clase, Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis and Tim Herrin all posting sub-2.00 ERAs. But they traded away two of the best players in slugging first baseman Josh Naylor and Gold Glove second baseman Andres Gimenez.
The Royals, last year’s playoff surprise, will look similar, with leadoff hitter Jonathan India the primary offseason acquisition. Royals leadoff hitters were stunningly dreadful last season (.270 OBP), so India’s arrival should give Bobby Witt Jr. a lot more RBI opportunities. Indeed, while it’s unrealistic to expect a better season from Witt, he may yet have another gear in him. His 9.4 WAR tied George Brett for best in franchise history. Don’t be surprised if Witt finds a way to improve on that. — Schoenfield
One thing to know for Kansas City: The Royals have made back-to-back postseason appearances once in the past 35 seasons — in 2014-15, when they reached the World Series in consecutive years.
One thing to know for Cleveland: Jose Ramirez finished one home run shy of joining MLB’s 40/40 club in 2024, but became the first player in franchise history with 35 home runs and 35 stolen bases in a season.
Lineups
Guardians
Steven Kwan (L) LF
Jose Ramirez (S) 3B
Lane Thomas (R) CF
Carlos Santana (S) 1B
Kyle Manzardo (L) DH
Jhonkensy Noel (R) RF
Bo Naylor (L) C
Gabriel Arias (R) 2B
Brayan Rocchio (S) SS
Royals
Jonathan India (R) 3B
Bobby Witt Jr. (R) SS
Vinnie Pasquantino (L) DH
Salvador Perez (R) C
Michael Massey (L) 2B
Hunter Renfroe (R) RF
MJ Melendez (L) LF
Cavan Biggio (L) 1B
Kyle Isbel (L) CF
New York Mets at Houston Astros
First pitch: 4:10 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Clay Holmes vs. Framber Valdez
The big storyline: Juan Soto will make his highly anticipated debut with a New York club in Houston for the second straight year. A year ago, he punctuated his first game with the Yankees by throwing out the game-tying runner at home plate in the ninth inning of a victory to commence an MVP-caliber season. This year, he’ll take the field at Daikin Park (formerly known as Minute Maid Park) for the Mets with the richest contract in professional sports history and all the expectations that accompany it. He won’t be the only ex-Yankee in a Mets uniform. Holmes, who closed that Yankees season-opening win a year ago, will make his first start since 2018 to begin his relaunch as a starter.
The Astros’ offseason, meanwhile, was defined by the departures of two stars: Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker. Jose Altuve, the lone holdover from the Astros’ original championship core, will make his first career start in left field, and 22-year-old Cam Smith, acquired in the trade for Tucker, will make his major league debut after just 32 minor league games as Houston begins its quest for a ninth straight postseason appearance with a very different look. — Jorge Castillo
One thing to know for Houston: Altuve, who has played second base his entire 14-year MLB career, is set to play left field this season, making him the player with the third-most career games played (1,821 entering 2025) before his first start in the outfield among players to debut since 1900.
One thing to know for New York: The Mets are one of three active franchises (along with the Rays and Diamondbacks) to never have a player win an MVP award — though the addition of the offseason’s biggest star, Soto, could change that.
Lineups
Mets
Francisco Lindor (S) SS
Juan Soto (L) RF
Pete Alonso (R) 1B
Mark Vientos (R) 3B
Brandon Nimmo (L) LF
Starling Marte (R) DH
Tyrone Taylor (R) CF
Luisangel Acuna (R) 2B
Luis Torrens (R) C
Astros
Jose Altuve (R) LF
Isaac Paredes (R) 3B
Yordan Alvarez (L) DH
Christian Walker (R) 1B
Yainer Diaz (R) C
Jeremy Pena (R) SS
Cam Smith (R) RF
Brendan Rodgers (R) 2B
Jake Meyers (R) CF
First pitch: 4:10 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Logan Webb vs. Hunter Greene
The big storyline: It’s the dawn of two new eras. For the Giants, franchise icon and future Hall of Famer Buster Posey took over as president of baseball operations. His first offseason wasn’t the most adventurous, although he gave Willy Adames a big contract to plug a hole at shortstop and signed Justin Verlander for the rotation.
In Cincinnati, future Hall of Famer Terry Francona replaces David Bell as manager after sitting out 2024 to focus on his health. Francona’s proven track record in Cleveland of working well with young players has many viewing the Reds as sleepers in the NL Central. Of course, it helps that Francona will have the electrifying Elly De La Cruz and the flame-throwing Greene to build around. De La Cruz finished eighth in NL MVP voting in 2024 in his first full season, while Greene had a 2.75 ERA and led NL pitchers in WAR. — Schoenfield
One thing to know for Cincinnati: Francona, a three-time Manager of the Year, has reached the postseason in his first season with his new team in each of his past two managerial stops.
One thing to know for San Francisco: Giants ace Webb, who had a 3.47 ERA and 172 strikeouts in 2024, is the only MLB pitcher to throw 200-plus innings in each of the past two seasons.
Lineups
Giants
LaMonte Wade Jr. (L) 1B
Willy Adames (R) SS
Jung Hoo Lee (L) CF
Matt Chapman (R) 3B
Heliot Ramos (R) LF
Patrick Bailey (S) C
Wilmer Flores (R) DH
Mike Yastrzemski (L) RF
Tyler Fitzgerald (R) 2B
Reds
TJ Friedl (L) CF
Matt McLain (R) 2B
Elly De La Cruz (S) SS
Gavin Lux (L) LF
Jeimer Candelario (S) 3B
Spencer Steer (R) DH
Christian Encarnacion-Strand (R) 1B
Jake Fraley (L) RF
Jose Trevino (R) C
Atlanta Braves at San Diego Padres
First pitch: 4:10 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Chris Sale vs. Michael King
The big storyline: Two teams with championship aspirations meet in a rematch of last year’s wild-card series, which the Padres swept in two games. We also get a nice showdown between the 2024 Cy Young winner and a pitcher who had a 2.24 ERA over his final 20 starts. King tossed seven shutout innings with 12 strikeouts in Game 1 of that playoff series, a game score of 79 that tied for the third-best start in Padres postseason history. Sale, meanwhile, missed that series when his back flared up at the end of the regular season.
Looking to repeat his Cy Young performance, Sale will be making the sixth Opening Day start of his career, but his first since 2019. As the Braves await the returns of Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr., they begin the season with a tough seven-game road trip against the Padres and Dodgers. A key player to watch: rookie catcher Drake Baldwin, who will get the Opening Day starting assignment with Sean Murphy on the IL. — Schoenfield
One thing to know for San Diego: Starting pitchers King and Dylan Cease were the only teammates in baseball with 200 strikeouts each in 2024.
One thing to know for Atlanta: Marcell Ozuna, who has had at least 100 RBIs in each of the past two seasons, is seeking to become the first Braves player to have 100-plus RBIs in three consecutive seasons since Chipper Jones did it in eight straight from 1996-2003.
Lineups
Braves
Jurickson Profar (S) LF
Austin Riley (R) 3B
Matt Olson (L) 1B
Marcell Ozuna (R) DH
Ozzie Albies (S) 2B
Michael Harris II (L) CF
Drake Baldwin (L) C
Orlando Arcia (R) SS
Jarred Kelenic (L) RF
Padres
Fernando Tatis Jr. (R) RF
Luis Arraez (L) 1B
Manny Machado (R) 3B
Xander Bogaerts (R) SS
Jackson Merrill (L) CF
Yuli Gurriel (R) DH
Jake Cronenworth (L) 2B
Brandon Lockridge (R) LF
Elias Diaz (R) C
First pitch: 4:10 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Yusei Kikuchi vs. Sean Burke
The big storyline: Mike Trout will be starting his 13th straight Opening Day game for the Angels, extending a franchise record. For the first time, it won’t be in center field, as Trout will man right field this season. Trout didn’t play in center at all during spring training, spending most of his time in right while getting a few starts at DH. If the position switch helps keep Trout healthy after a string of injury-marred seasons, it’s not just good for the Angels, but good for the game writ large.
Alas, Trout is making his return in what may well be the worst Opening Day game ever played. That’s not just anti-hype: The Angels (99) and White Sox (121) lost 220 games between them last season. That’s 13 more combined losses than any other two teams that squared off in a subsequent Opening Day game. The previous mark was set 119 years ago, on April 12, 1906, when the Boston Nationals (104 losses in 1905) beat the Brooklyn Superbas (103) 2-0 at Washington Park in Brooklyn. Let’s hope this one is just as memorable. — Bradford Doolittle
One thing to know for Chicago: The win total for the White Sox this year is set at 53.5 at ESPN BET, the lowest of any team in the past 35 years, according to SportsOddsHistory and ESPN BET.
One thing to know for Los Angeles: The Angels haven’t made the postseason since 2014, the longest active drought in MLB.
Lineups
Angels
Taylor Ward (R) LF
Nolan Schanuel (L) 1B
Mike Trout (R) RF
Jorge Soler (R) DH
Tim Anderson (R) 2B
Luis Rengifo (S) 3B
Logan O’Hoppe (R) C
Jo Adell (R) CF
Kevin Newman (R) SS
White Sox
Miguel Vargas (R) 3B
Luis Robert Jr. (R) CF
Andrew Benintendi (L) DH
Andrew Vaughn (R) 1B
Austin Slater (R) RF
Lenyn Sosa (R) 2B
Korey Lee (R) C
Jacob Amaya (R) SS
Michael A. Taylor (R) LF
First pitch: 4:10 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Paul Skenes vs. Sandy Alcantara
The big storyline: For two teams that lost a combined 186 games in 2024, this is one of the more interesting Opening Day matchups. Every Skenes start, of course, is must-see viewing while 2022 Cy Young winner Alcantara will be making his first regular-season start since 2023 after missing all of last season following Tommy John surgery.
Despite playing for the small-market Pirates, Skenes’ dominating rookie performance has already made him one of the faces of the sport — see the recent sale of his MLB debut patch rookie card for $1.11 million, more than Skenes’ 2025 salary. Alcantara had a strong spring with 12 scoreless innings and his fastball velocity back up to 98 mph — including hitting 100 mph a couple of times. If he gets off to a strong start, the trade rumors will ramp up even more. — Schoenfield
One thing to know for Miami: Alcantara, the 2022 National League Cy Young winner, is returning from Tommy John surgery after missing the entire 2024 season and is expected to be on the trade block for the Marlins.
One thing to know for Pittsburgh: After winning the NL Rookie of the Year Award and finishing third in Cy Young voting in 2024, Skenes is the favorite to win the NL Cy Young Award this season at +250, according to ESPN BET, and would become the third Pirates pitcher to win it.
Lineups
Pirates
Tommy Pham (R) LF
Bryan Reynolds (S) RF
Oneil Cruz (L) CF
Joey Bart (R) C
Andrew McCutchen (R) DH
Nick Gonzales (R) 2B
Endy Rodriguez (S) 1B
Ke’Bryan Hayes (R) 3B
Isiah Kiner-Falefa (R) SS
Marlins
Xavier Edwards (S) SS
Kyle Stowers (L) LF
Jonah Bride (R) DH
Matt Mervis (L) 1B
Otto Lopez (R) 2B
Griffin Conine (L) RF
Derek Hill (R) CF
Graham Pauley (L) 3B
Nick Fortes (R) C
First pitch: 4:15 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Pablo Lopez vs. Sonny Gray
The big storyline: How many Cardinals who take the field Thursday will still be on the team in August? It’s kind of a surprise that one of them — third baseman Nolan Arenado — is even on their Opening Day roster. Rumored to be traded all winter, it never happened — in part because of a no-trade clause. There are several Cardinals who have them, including Opening Day starter Gray. He could be moved come July, if he waives it, as could closer Ryan Helsley, who is one of the few veterans that doesn’t have a no-trade clause. There are others who could be traded, but there is a potential hiccup in the Cardinals’ reset plans: What if they’re in contention in a mediocre division? You can’t break up a team that has playoff hopes. At least not in St. Louis. During the spring, the vets vowed to make it a tough decision on the front office. Thursday will begin to tell the tale of the Cardinals’ near- and long-term future.
For the Twins, it’s all about health. Byron Buxton, Royce Lewis and Carlos Correa missed significant time last season, and Minnesota needs its stars healthy to contend. Of course, Lewis will start the season on the injured list with a hamstring strain. — Jesse Rogers
One thing to know for St. Louis: Arenado, who enters 2025 with 341 career home runs, sixth most among active players, remains with the Cardinals after nixing a deal that would have sent him to Houston in December.
One thing to know for Minnesota: Despite doing little this offseason in a division that boasts four teams that could conceivably compete for the title, the Twins enter 2025 as the favorite to win the AL Central at +200, their second consecutive season opening as the favorite.
Lineups
Twins
Matt Wallner (L) RF
Carlos Correa (R) SS
Byron Buxton (R) CF
Trevor Larnach (L) DH
Ryan Jeffers (R) C
Ty France (R) 1B
Willi Castro (S) 2B
Jose Miranda (R) 3B
Harrison Bader (R) LF
Cardinals
Lars Nootbaar (L) LF
Willson Contreras (R) 1B
Brendan Donovan (L) 2B
Nolan Arenado (R) 3B
Alec Burleson (L) DH
Ivan Herrera (R) C
Jordan Walker (R) RF
Victor Scott II (L) CF
Masyn Winn (R) SS
Detroit Tigers at Los Angeles Dodgers
First pitch: 7:10 p.m. ET on ESPN
The pitching matchup: Tarik Skubal vs. Blake Snell
The big storyline: The Dodgers already opened their season from Japan last week, but this will be a chance to truly see one of the most talented teams in recent memory for one obvious reason: Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, who missed the two games against the Cubs because of an illness and rib discomfort, respectively, are both expected to start, making the Dodgers’ lineup whole for their stateside opener.
Hovering above that will be a marquee pitching matchup featuring two of the game’s best left-handers in Skubal, who won the AL Cy Young Award unanimously last year, and Snell, the two-time Cy Young winner who joined the Dodgers on a $182 million contract over the offseason. The Dodgers won’t see much better pitchers than Skubal all year, so it’ll be interesting to see how they fare. But don’t forget that the Tigers are young and ascending and could vie for a division title of their own. — Alden Gonzalez
One thing to know for Los Angeles: The Dodgers look to become not only the first defending champion to reach the World Series the following season since the 2009 Phillies, but the first repeat title winners since the Yankees won three in a row from 1998-2000.
One thing to know for Detroit: Skubal is the favorite to win the award again at +360, per ESPN BET, which would make him the first AL pitcher to repeat as a Cy Young winner since Pedro Martinez did it in 1999 and 2000.
Chicago Cubs at Arizona Diamondbacks
First pitch: 10:10 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Justin Steele vs. Zac Gallen
The big storyline: Coming off their 0-2 start in Japan against the Dodgers, the Cubs will look to get the bats going after hitting .172 without a home run in those initial two games. Steele will get the starting assignment after pitching the second game in Tokyo, when he allowed five runs and two home runs in five innings.
Longtime Diamondbacks ace Gallen gets the nod of Arizona, which isn’t necessarily odd, except manager Torey Lovullo waited so long to make the decision between Gallen and $210 million free agent Corbin Burnes that he had to start Gallen because Burnes wasn’t going to be on his preferred routine — which means he now won’t start until the D-backs’ fifth game of the season, against the Yankees. Corbin Carroll had a huge spring training, a good sign for Arizona’s chances to repeat in leading the majors in runs scored. — Schoenfield
One thing to know for Arizona: Ketel Marte‘s 36 home runs last season were the most by an MLB second baseman since 2021.
One thing to know for Chicago: The Cubs, who are favored to win the NL Central, are seeking to win their first division title in a full season since 2017.
First pitch: 10:10 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Luis Severino vs. Logan Gilbert
The big storyline: The Athletics begin on the road, so we’ll have to wait until the team’s second series of the season against the Cubs to get a first look at their new home park in Sacramento, California (which they’re sharing with the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate). The A’s will be starting a rookie duo at middle infield in shortstop Jacob Wilson, who appeared in 28 games last season, and second baseman Max Muncy (not THAT Max Muncy, although the two improbably also share the same birthdate), a non-roster invite who made the team with Zack Gelof out with a broken hamate bone.
The Mariners will look to continue their recent domination of the A’s: They went 21-5 against them the past two seasons. The Mariners didn’t have a good spring but ended on a high note when they signed Cal Raleigh to a six-year, $105 million extension that buys out three years of free agency. — Schoenfield
One thing to know for Seattle: The Mariners have had four consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 2000 to 2003, but spent just $3.5 million on free agents this offseason, which was the second-lowest (behind the Cardinals) of any team in MLB.
One thing to know for the A’s: After 57 seasons in Oakland, the A’s will be playing at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento for the next three seasons before a planned move to Las Vegas.
Friday, March 28
Colorado Rockies at Tampa Bay Rays
First pitch: 4:10 p.m. ET
The pitching matchup: Kyle Freeland vs. Ryan Pepiot
The big storyline: This game was supposed to be about Shane McClanahan‘s return to the mound after missing 2024, but he went down with nerve irritation in his left triceps in his final spring training start, landing on the IL. Instead, Pepiot will get the ball as the Rays host the Rockies in their adopted home field, George M. Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees’ spring training stadium. Two players to watch for the Rays: sophomore third baseman Junior Caminero, who hit four home runs in camp, but otherwise struggled, hitting .149; and infielder Curtis Mead, who hit .529. Mead is expected to get the start at first base, with Yandy Diaz serving as the DH.
For the Rockies, center fielder Brenton Doyle and shortstop Ezequiel Tovar are two of the most exciting defenders in the game — both won Gold Gloves in 2024 — but, barring a miracle, the Rockies aren’t going to score enough runs to be competitive. — Schoenfield
One thing to know for Tampa Bay: The Rays will be playing this season’s home games at the Yankees’ spring training facility after their home park of Tropicana Field sustained damages from Hurricane Milton in October.
One thing to know for Colorado: Doyle, who has won Gold Gloves in each of his first two seasons in the majors, will look to become the third Rockies player to win the award in three consecutive seasons since Nolan Arenado (2013-20) and Hall of Famer Larry Walker (1997-99).
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