Sports
Opening Day Overreactions: What We Learned from the First Games of 2025
Feb 24, 2025; Jupiter, Florida, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) looks on against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Journeyman outfielder Karl “Tuffy” Rhodes opened the 1994 season for the Chicago Cubs by hitting three homers off Dwight Gooden. He hit five homers in his final 94 games of the strike-shortened campaign.
Four years later, the New York Yankees began the season by being limited to five hits in a 4-1 loss to the Anaheim Angels. One hundred and twenty-five wins later, the Yankees were World Series champions and one of the greatest single-season teams of all time.
So Opening Day, as festive and eagerly awaited as it is, might not be a harbinger of things to come. But then again, some Opening Day results may be more revealing than others. Here are six thoughts from Thursday’s stateside openers, ranked in order from silliest to most serious.
1. Juan Soto stinks
The $765 million man ended the New York Mets’ 3-1 loss to the Houston Astros by striking out as the potential go-ahead run. A nation of Mets fans did their best Stewie Griffin imitation while counting the number of days until the end of the 2039 season. (Soto also singled and drew two walks, giving him a .600 on-base percentage that might not drop all that much over the next six months.)
2. The Chicago White Sox rule
Mar 27, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox pitcher Sean Burke (59) delivers against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images Sure, all they did was beat the forever down-bad Angels 8-1. But with the victory, the White Sox—who, as you may remember, set a modern record for losses by going 41-121 last season—are over .500 for the first time since March 30, 2023. Baby steps on the South Side.
3. Austin Wells is the greatest leadoff hitter of all time
Aug 30, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells (28) hits a two run home run during the third inning against St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Erick Fedde (12) at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports Wells, the first Yankees catcher in the 123-year history of the franchise to bat leadoff in a game, became the first catcher to lead off an Opening Day game with a homer when he hit Freddy Peralta’s third pitch of the game into the ever-friendly right-field seats at Yankee Stadium. He now has more Opening Day leadoff homers than the late great Rickey Henderson. How great is baseball?
4. Emmanuel Clase might be cooked
Jun 25, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase (48) celebrates with Cleveland Guardians catcher Bo Naylor (23) after the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports Some of us are old enough to remember when iconic Yankees closer Mariano Rivera followed up his infamous back-to-back blown saves in the 2004 AL Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox by surrendering six runs as he blew consecutive save opportunities against the reigning World Series champion Red Sox to open the 2005 season. Rivera, 35 at the time, allowed 12 runs the rest of the season, which he ended with a career-best 1.38 ERA.
So the 27-year-old Clase—whose brilliant 2024 ended with a nightmarish postseason in which he posted a 9.00 ERA, blew a save chance in the ALCS and served up three homers in seven appearances—might be just fine despite blowing the save and allowing the tying run in the ninth inning of the Cleveland Guardians’ 7-4, 10-inning win over the Kansas City Royals. But Clase’s velocity was down this spring, and the last decade is littered with burnt-out closers who were once identified as the next Rivera.
5. The Toronto Blue Jays are in trouble
Mar 20, 2025; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays first base Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) singles against the Tampa Bay Rays in the fifth inning during spring training at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images After a last-place finish and a winter in which they made unsuccessful bids to sign Soto or extend Vladimir Guerrero Jr., few teams needed a good Opening Day more than the Blue Jays—who became just the fourth team in the last 10 years to lose by 10 or more runs on Opening Day when they were torched 12-2 by the Baltimore Orioles.
The rough start by the usually reliable José Berríos was a reminder the Jays are counting on a rotation filled with pitchers on the wrong side of 30. With Guerrero and Bo Bichette in their walk years and the heat on the leadership triumvirate of president Mark Shapiro, general manager Ross Atkins and manager John Schneider, it could get very late very fast in Toronto.
6. Baseball’s pitching problem is getting worse
Jul 4, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Ben Lively (39) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports The stateside Opening Day was another reminder teams are churning through pitchers at an unsustainable rate. Starters lasted an average of 5.27 innings and 86 pitches Thursday. Only nine hurlers threw at least 90 pitches, and none made it to the century mark. On Opening Day 2015, starters averaged 6.18 innings and 93 pitches per game, with 21 pitchers reaching 90 pitches and six getting to at least 100 pitches.
Asking starters to go as hard as they can for as long as they can and expecting relievers to do the same has only led to more injuries and a higher rate of turnover. But like Ned Flanders’ parents, baseball’s brilliant executives have tried nothing to fix the problem, and they’re all out of ideas, man.
Sports
Charlotte FC score late, edge New York City FC
Apr 18, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York City FC midfielder Maximiliano Moralez (10) fights for the ball against Charlotte FC midfielder Ashley Westwood (8) during the first half at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark Smith-Imagn Images Idan Toklomati and Kerwin Vargas scored second-half goals as Charlotte FC slipped past New York City FC 2-1 on Saturday night for their first road win in three tries this season.
Kristijan Kahlina had seven saves for Charlotte (4-2-2, 14 points), which avenged a three-match series loss to NYCFC in the opening round of the MLS playoffs last fall.
Charlotte FC, which has lost just once in their last six league matches, is tied for third place in the Eastern Conference.
Nicolas Fernandez scored in the third minute of stoppage time in the second half for slumping New York City (3-3-2, 11 points) which has not won in its last four games against MLS competition.
Matthew Freese had two saves for NYCFC, which has surrendered eight goals during their four-game skid.
After a scoreless first half, Charlotte struck in the 54th minute as Wilfried Zaha maneuvered through traffic in the middle of the field and created a window to send a pass downfield.
Harry Toffolo passed forward to an open Toklomati, who tapped a right-footed shot past the onrushing Freese.
It was the third goal this season for Toklomati and the third assist for Toffolo as Charlotte scored for just the second time this season in a road match after playing six straight games at home in all competitions.
Zaha was the missing piece for Charlotte on April 11 in a 2-1 loss to first-place Nashville SC as he was serving a red-card suspension.
The second goal for Charlotte came in the 90th minute as Pep Biel crossed to Vargas, who fired a left-footed shot inside the left post for his second goal this season.
New York City answered in stoppage time as Fernandez took a feed across the box from Hannes Wolf and scored with a left-footed blast from just outside the box to the top right corner.
NYCFC dominated the scoreless first half with its pressing defense and the creative, well-timed attacks of Maxi Moralez and Agustin Ojeada. While New York City fired 10 shots in the period, Charlotte took just one.
For the match, NYCFC outshot Charlotte 23-8, which gave 19-year-old forward Rodolfo Akolo his first MLS start.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Chris Sale dominant as Braves keep Phillies in a funk
Apr 18, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale (51) throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Chris Sale worked seven strong innings and Mauricio Dubon provided a two-run single to lift the visiting Atlanta Braves to a 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday.
Sale (4-1) struck out seven and walked only one, giving up just one run and five hits. Austin Riley, Jonah Heim and Ozzie Albies each had two hits as Atlanta won for the eighth time in 10 games.
The Braves will look to complete a three-game sweep Sunday in the finale with the scuffling Phillies, who have dropped eight of 10. Philadelphia ace Cristopher Sanchez (2-2) gave up three unearned runs in six innings, yielding eight hits and a walk with eight strikeouts.
The game began in exciting fashion, as Ronald Acuna Jr. sent a blast to deep center, only to watch Brandon Marsh leap at the wall to rob a home run.
In the second, Philadelphia’s Felix Reyes launched Sale’s 2-0 fastball over the wall in right field for a home run in his first major league at-bat. However, that was the only offensive highlight for the hosts.
Atlanta promptly bounced back with two runs in the third. Sanchez struck out the first two batters of the frame before the next three hitters reached, including Albies on an error by second baseman Edmundo Sosa.
Riley’s infield hit tied the game, then Dubon’s bloop increased the lead to 3-1.
Sale sat down the Phillies with minimal stress in the third, fourth and fifth innings. He then went through the heart of the Philadelphia order in the sixth, getting Kyle Schwarber on a comebacker to the mound, striking out Bryce Harper and inducing a popup by Adolis Garcia.
Sale struck out two more in the seventh before exiting after 101 pitches.
Dylan Lee took care of the eighth for Atlanta before Robert Suarez logged a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save.
Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto exited due to lower back tightness. Rafael Marchan replaced Realmuto in the top of the seventh.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Sei Young Kim rides ups, downs to hold lead at LA Championship
Aug 27, 2023; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Sei Young Kim hits out of bunker on the fifteenth green during the final round of the CPKC Women’s Open golf tournament at Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images South Korea’s Sei Young Kim endured a rough back nine with four consecutive bogeys on Saturday but retained her lead after three rounds at the JM Eagle LA Championship in Tarzana, Calif.
Ranked No. 10 in the world, Kim had a one-shot lead entering the day and expanded that to two strokes with a 1-under-par 71 to move to 15-under 201 at El Caballero Country Club.
“Oh, wow, it’s feel like, yeah, roller coaster,” Kim said of her round. “I didn’t know still two-shot lead until the last hole. Yeah, after finish I look at the scoreboard and I still (hold a) two-shot lead. OK, one more day. Yeah, I’m going better tomorrow.”
Four players are tied for second at 13 under: Australia’s Hannah Green (5-under 67 on Saturday), Thailand’s Suvichaya Vinijchaitham (67), South Korea’s Ina Yoon (71) and Jessica Porvasnik (68).
Kim shot a blistering 31 on the front nine with five birdies (Nos. 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9) and four pars to get to 19 under for the tournament. The back nine, however, was a different story with four pars followed by bogeys at Nos. 14, 15, 16 and 17 before a par on No. 18 for 40.
Kim had carded one bogey in a first-round 65 and followed with a bogey-free 65 on Friday.
She hit seven of 14 fairways on Saturday and 13 of 18 greens in regulation while totaling 28 putts.
“I don’t know forget about (the third round) because I want to keep thinking and then I want to why, why, why, why. I don’t want to make (it) happen again,” Kim said. “But it’s golf. It can be happen again. It’s learn and then learn and learn. Mistake and then learn, yeah. Hopefully, success (at the) end of the day tomorrow.”
Green’s adventurous 67 featured seven birdies and two bogeys. Vinijchaitham made eagle on the par-5 16th hole, and also have five birdies and two bogeys.
Yoon recorded four birdies and three bogeys, while Porvasnik carded seven birdies — including each of the last three holes — to counter a double bogey on the par-3 No. 9 and a bogey at the par-3 No. 15.
“I felt like I was playing pretty well,” Porvasnik said. “Had a hiccup on nine and just kind of kept grinding. Knew that just stay patient out there. It’s playing tough. To have the three birdies to close was just really nice.”
Kim, 33, owns 13 career LPGA victories, but just one in the past six years, at the BMW Ladies Championship last October.
Japan’s Chizzy Iwai had led after a course-record-tying 63 on Thursday, then carded a 68 on Friday to get to 13 under. She carded a 3-over 75 on Saturday to fall to 10 under and a tie for 10th.
Iwai made just one birdie, at the par-4 No. 13, and lost ground with bogeys at Nos. 2, 7, 17 and 18.
–Field Level Media
Charlotte FC score late, edge New York City FC
Chris Sale dominant as Braves keep Phillies in a funk
