Opening Days are what they are — just one game in a galaxy of 162. And yet, because they are first impressions, they can often also be snapshots of what’s to come.
For example: The Yankees and Mets went into their respective Opening Days each seeking the answer to two major questions. The Yankees wanted to know if Austin Wells was the right guy for the leadoff spot, and the Mets were seeking to find out if their three-year, $38 million gamble on Clay Holmes converting from closer to starting pitcher was inspired or ill-advised. One Opening Day later, the Yankees’ bet on Wells paid off big. The Mets’ on Holmes? Not so much.
Hard to believe that in the 125-year modern history of the game, there had never been a catcher to lead off the game with a home run until Wells ignited Thursday’s home opener against Milwaukee by taking the Brewers’ Freddy Peralta deep to open the bottom of the first. But as Yankees manager Aaron Boone had explained late in spring training: If not Wells, then who else? With Aaron Judge hitting second, the Yankees don’t need a speed burner hitting ahead of him — not that the Yankees really have one anyway, other than perhaps Anthony Volpe who didn’t fare that well in the top spot last year. Wells was a .322 on-base guy last year and brings power to the leadoff spot.
As for David Stearns’ belief that Holmes can make a successful transition from closer to a starting pitcher, well, initial results — 4 2/3 innings, five hits, two earned runs, four walks, four strikeouts — were not particularly encouraging. Again, it’s only one start, but it does say something about the Mets’ rotation — granted the injury to Sean Manaea was a primary factor — that Holmes got the Opening Day call. After spending $765 million on Juan Soto, Stearns elected to go the short term thrift route when it came to filling out his starting rotation. His biggest expenditure was three-years, $75 million to retain Manaea. After that it was two-years, $34 million for Frankie Montas to replace Luis Severino and one-year, $4.25 million on Griffin Canning as insurance.
Stearns is obviously banking on a healthy Kodai Senga and David Peterson to have a breakthrough season. But you have to ask: Does he really believe a Mets rotation comprised of Manaea, Senga, Peterson, Holmes and any combination of Tylor Megill, Montas or Canning is good enough to get the Mets to the World Series?
Elsewhere, Opening Day 2025 did not bode well for two of baseball’s already endangered managers. In Anaheim, the Angels’ Ron Washington was heartily booed by the hometown fans for summoning infielder Nicky Lopez to record the final out in an 8-1 blowout loss to the White Sox (who set the major league record for losses last year). The height of embarrassment. As it was, Lopez was the only Angels pitcher who didn’t give up a run in the game. And in Pittsburgh, Pirates manager Derek Shelton is going to have to figure out a way to win the games Paul Skenes is pitching.
Skenes wasn’t overpowering in his debut but he pitched well enough to win. He was leading 4-2 when Shelton pulled him after 94 pitches with one out in the sixth. But an ineffective Pirate bullpen blew the lead and the game and combined with some sloppy Pirate fielding behind Skenes earlier, it was a depressing effort all around. In truth it took just one Opening Day to see that this is another very bad Pirates team — bad fielding, no bullpen. Just Skenes — and is heading for its sixth straight losing season under GM Ben Cherington and Shelton. When is owner Bob Nutting going to finally see the light and bring in a competent management team to construct a competitive, winning team around Skenes before it’s too late.
