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The Cubs and Dodgers opened the 2025 MLB regular season with the two-game Tokyo Series in Japan last week. Los Angeles swept those two games to begin their World Series title defense. Thursday is the traditional Opening Day when the rest of the league begins their regular seasons. It is Game 1 of 162. The long marathon is here.
Juan Soto will play his first game with the Mets in the same place he played his first game with the Yankees last season: Houston. The Mets and their $765 million man will visit Daikin Park, formerly Minute Maid Park, on Opening Day to play an Astros team that underwent a bit of a facelift over the winter, but remains a serious contender for the AL West if not for the World Series.
MLB Opening Day games are streaming locally on fubo (Try for free). Here’s how to watch.
Mets vs. Astros
Date: Thursday, March 27 | Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Location: Daikin Park (Houston, Texas)
Live stream: fubo (Try for free), MLB.TV | TV: SNY, Space City Home Network
Probable pitchers: RHP Clay Holmes vs. LHP Framber Valdez
Odds: NYM -120; HOU +100; over/under: 8.0 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Storylines
Mets: A year ago, the Mets posted the best record in baseball after June 2, secured a postseason berth on the final day of the regular season (it was actually a makeup game the day after the season ended), and made a spirited run to the NLCS. They then signed Soto away from the Yankees over the winter, and also Holmes, who is converting from reliever to starter. He’s getting the Opening Day start with Sean Manaea (oblique) and Frankie Montas (lat) injured. The Mets were a fun, upstart team a year ago. Now they’ll enter 2025 as a World Series-or-bust team. Such is life when you sign a free agent to the largest contract ever.
Astros: It will be a very new look Astros team on the field on Opening Day. Kyle Tucker is a Cub, Alex Bregman is a Red Sock, Justin Verlander is a Giant, and Jose Altuve is a left fielder. Houston landed Isaac Paredes and also top prospect Cam Smith, who made the team out of spring training, in the Tucker trade, and Christian Walker was signed to be a sorely needed upgrade at first base. Houston has gone from 106 wins to 90 win to 88 wins the last three seasons and yet they won the AL West each of those years. Still, that declining win total is a trend they want to halt this year. They may no longer look like a powerhouse, and most of their 2017-22 core is gone, but doubt the Astros at your own risk. They remain a good, contending team.
