Former Tampa Bay Rays infielder Nick Franklin interacts with fans at his home opener on April 6, 2015. Photo courtesy of City of St. Pete, CC BY-ND 2.0, via Flickr.
MLB teams start the 2026 season on different notes, and the return of baseball brings excitement to UTampa students and staff.
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By Jacob Tomaneng
TAMPA, Fla. — On March 25 and 26, 2026, 24 Major League Baseball teams played their Opening Day games to kick off the season. Some teams left with confidence, some with losses, and others with uncertainty regarding the remainder of their season. Regardless of the outcome, fans on The University of Tampa’s campus share excitement for another year of America’s pastime.
The first game, a matchup between the New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants, ended in a 7-0 Yankees victory. The powerhouse Yankees lineup was led by Captain Aaron Judge in 2025, but the 2025 American League MVP winner left the day hitless with four strikeouts. Despite Judge’s unusual struggle, other hitters stepped up, putting up seven runs while Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb was on the mound.
Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried allowed only two hits and no runs across six innings. This shutout win by the Yankees gives some fans a reason to believe in a winning season.
“I think [the American League] is up for grabs, but I would love to see a Yankees-Dodgers rematch,” said Anthony Paradise, UTampa sophomore. “I could see the Yankees even taking it in seven.”
Similar to the Yankees, the Dodgers had no problem putting up runs in their 8-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Coming off a World Series-winning season and their star two-way player Shohei Ohtani’s fourth MVP season, the Dodgers look to defend their title. With the notable addition of right fielder Kyle Tucker during the offseason, another World Series trophy is possible.
While some players and teams excelled, others failed to meet their expectations. 2025 Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes allowed five earned runs in just two-thirds of an inning before being taken out of the game. The Pittsburgh Pirates’ starting pitcher had his work cut out for him against a talented New York Mets lineup. The Mets’ Opening Day roster included new pieces in former Toronto Blue Jays infielder Bo Bichette and former Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. Despite the absence of Silver Slugger infielder Pete Alonso from the Mets lineup after he signed with the Baltimore Orioles during the offseason, the Mets won 11-7 against the Pirates.
In the long 162-game season, single-game performances are not insignificant. The final standings of the 2025 season reflected this, with five of six divisional titles being decided by five games or fewer.
The list of teams that left Opening Day victorious continued with the Philadelphia Phillies, the Los Angeles Angels, the Washington Nationals, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Boston Red Sox, the Detroit Tigers, the Baltimore Orioles, the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Cleveland Guardians.
At UTampa, baseball fans are holding high hopes for their respective teams.
After a Phillies Opening Day win, Molly Gretzula, a junior from Philadelphia, hopes to see her hometown team return to a World Series.
“I had the privilege of going to the [2022 World Series] games at Citizens Bank Park when they were in the World Series against the Astros,” said Gretzula.
With students and staff from all 50 states at UTampa, many fan bases are represented on campus. Some fans may have different opinions and reasons for their Opening Day excitement, but the anticipation for a fun MLB season is a shared hope.
Gretzula said that she wants to see Phillies infielder Bryson Stott, infielder Bryce Harper, and outfielder Kyle Schwarber do well in the 2026 season. Gretzula even referred to Schwarber’s home runs as “Schwar-Bombs.”
Kirkie Pecotte, UTampa admissions counselor and graduate student, grew up in Wisconsin and cheers for the Milwaukee Brewers.
“I just love the vibes in Wisconsin when there’s a Brewers game. You have tailgating, everyone’s excited, everyone loves watching the Brew Crew,” said Pecotte.
Fans can watch games on various networks and streaming services as baseball season continues with MLB regular season games until Sept. 27. A full list of the platforms to which each game will be watchable can be found at MLB.com/watch.
UTampa students can also catch the Tampa Bay Rays in person at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, starting with their home opener on April 6 against the Chicago Cubs.