Overview
- The 2026 season’s main Opening Day slate Thursday featured the Mets beating the Pirates 11-7, as Pittsburgh ace Paul Skenes was pulled after two outs and 37 pitches following a five-run first inning.
- Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez won MLB’s first successful regular-season Automated Ball-Strike challenge, with the system overturning a called ball to strike three on Oneil Cruz in the third inning.
- Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski struck out 11 over five innings in a 14-2 win against the White Sox, setting a Milwaukee Opening Day strikeout record and becoming the youngest with 10-plus K on Opening Day since 2007.
- Rookies made instant noise as the Mets’ Carson Benge homered in his debut, the Cardinals’ JJ Wetherholt went deep from the leadoff spot, and the Tigers’ Kevin McGonigle logged four hits including a first-pitch, two-run double.
- Several frontline arms opened strong, with Tarik Skubal, Garrett Crochet, Hunter Brown and Cristopher Sánchez working scoreless or near-scoreless outings that underscored early rotation optimism.