Feb 14, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodon (55) participates in spring training workouts at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

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Yankees Opening Day 2025: Who Will Start for Yankees in MLB Opening Day Game vs Brewers?

Carlos Rodon gets Opening Day nod

Carlos Rodon will take the mound for the Yankees on Opening Day, stepping in for the injured Gerrit Cole. Manager Aaron Boone confirmed the decision ahead of Friday’s spring training game against the Phillies, setting the stage for Rodon to open the season against the Brewers on March 27 at Yankee Stadium.

With Cole sidelined for the entire 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, the Yankees needed a new ace to lead their rotation. Boone believes Rodon is up for the challenge.

“I feel really good about giving him the ball,” Boone said. “He’s in the right frame of mind and throwing well. I’m excited for him, and at the end of the day, it’s just the first game.”

Carlos Rodón will start on Opening Day, per @Joelsherman1 pic.twitter.com/wKzCC00q0L
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) March 14, 2025

This marks Rodon’s second career Opening Day start. His first came in 2019 with the White Sox, where he took a loss against the Royals. Now in his third season with the Yankees, Rodon is coming off a relatively strong 2024 campaign, posting a 16-9 record with a 3.96 ERA across 32 starts. He struck out 195 batters over 175 innings, marking his highest workload since 2022.

Rodon acknowledged the honor of leading the Yankees into the new season but kept his focus on the bigger picture.

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“It’s exciting,” Rodon said. “But at the end of the day, it’s just one game. My job is to go out there and win.”

Rodon’s spring training numbers have been less than ideal, with a 10.13 ERA over 5 1/3 innings, allowing six runs on nine hits. Despite the shaky results, Boone remains confident in his progress.

“His stuff is there,” Boone said. “His secondary pitches are improving, the changeup is becoming a real factor, and both breaking balls are looking sharp. He’s in a good spot.”

Rodon is slated to start again on Saturday against the Rays, aiming to fine-tune his arsenal before the regular season begins.

Max Fried to Start for Game 2

Boone also announced that newly signed left-hander Max Fried will start the second game of the season on March 29. The Yankees landed Fried on an eight-year, $218 million contract in December, but Boone explained that it was difficult to adjust the rotation to have him start on Opening Day.

“We would have had to remove a spring start to make it work, and I didn’t want to do that,” Boone said. “Carlos is ready, and he’s built for this.”

Cole had been the Yankees’ Opening Day starter for four consecutive seasons before injuries disrupted his 2024 campaign. Last year, Nestor Cortes filled in for the opener in Houston, and now Rodon takes the baton in 2025.

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Rodon is no stranger to the Bronx, having last pitched at Yankee Stadium in Game 5 of the World Series. The Yankees fell short in that game, but he relishes the chance to take the mound again.

“It’s the Bronx Zoo,” Rodón said. “Yankee Stadium is electric, and I’m looking forward to it.”

Carlos Rodon

Opening Day 2025

Yankees

Mohsin Baldiwala

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Mohsin Baldiwala is a Master’s student in Journalism and freelance content producer who got hooked on baseball through Seinfeld’s hapless George Costanza. The same reason why he’s a Yankees fan. He writes about sports because he believes it can offer a brief escape from the world’s chaos. Even if that means enduring the heartbreak of the 2024 World Series.