Dodgers tap Yamamoto
Yoshinobu Yamamoto was named the Dodgers' Opening Day starter as L.A. begins its title defense when the season opens March 26 — a high‑profile nod to last year's closer-turned-starter role (mlb.com). Other Opening Day notes: Cole Ragans is Kansas City's starter for the third straight year, Pirates vs. Mets gets an early afternoon national broadcast, and Mariners' J.P. Crawford plus Cubs' Seiya Suzuki are both questionable for Opening Day with shoulder and knee concerns respectively ( ).
Yamamoto finished the 2025 regular season 12-8 with a 2.49 ERA and 201 strikeouts, and he placed third in National League Cy Young voting. (mlb.com) He threw consecutive complete games in NLCS Game 2 and World Series Game 2, then added 2 2/3 innings on one day’s rest in World Series Game 7 and finished the Fall Classic as the series MVP. (mlb.com) Yamamoto is the first Dodger to repeat as a season-opening starter since Clayton Kershaw’s eight-year run from 2011–2018, and this campaign marks his first Opening Day appearance at Dodger Stadium after last year’s Tokyo debut. (si.com) He spent part of spring training away while pitching for Samurai Japan in the World Baseball Classic, where he made two starts and allowed two earned runs in 6 2/3 innings before Japan’s quarterfinal exit. (mlb.com) Cole Ragans will be Kansas City’s Opening Day starter for a third straight season after an injury-shortened 2025 that included rotator-cuff and groin stints and 98 strikeouts in 61.2 innings when healthy. (mlb.com 1) (mlb.com 2) The Pirates–Mets matchup is part of NBC/Peacock’s Opening Day doubleheader, and the first game between Pittsburgh and New York is scheduled for a 1:15 p.m. ET first pitch at Citi Field. (nbcsports.com) (cbssports.com) Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford received a cortisone injection for right-shoulder soreness and will be shut down for a few days, leaving his availability for Opening Day uncertain. (mlb.com) (espn.com) Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki underwent an MRI that showed a minor posterior cruciate ligament sprain in his right knee; he’s been cleared for light workouts while the club aims to decide by Saturday whether he needs an injured-list stint. (mlb.com)
