Guardians 6, Mariners 4

Opening Day festivities: Dominic Canzone, .23 WPA

Opening Day fartivities: Gabe Speier, -.31 WPA

Game thread comment of the day:

It was not the most fun Opening Day game, but always remember:

The Oklahoma City Comets, the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate, unveiled their initial roster on Thursday, with opening day set for Friday night in Oklahoma City against the Albuquerque Isotopes, a Rockies’ farm team.

Among the 43 players on the Dodgers 40-man roster, 10 are on the injured list (three on the 60-day IL, which expands this list to 43), and 26 are active in the majors. Six of the seven remaining 40-man players for the Comets.

River Ryan is the only unaccounted 40-man player not on the preliminary Oklahoma City roster, but he could join them soon. Ryan is slated to pitch this weekend in Arizona, Fabian Ardaya at The Athletic reported Thursday.

Hyeseong Kim lost out to Alex Freeland for a spot on the opening day roster, with the Dodgers wanting Kim to split time between second base, shortstop, and center field in Triple-A.

“There’s no doubt that Hyeseong at some point is going to come help us out. I think the driver, as far as at the outset, is giving Hyeseong an opportunity to play every day, play all over the diamond,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Sunday.

Kyle Hurt is among the relievers. After an impressive spring training, the Dodgers opted to slow-play the right-hander missed all of last season after Tommy John surgery. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him get called up as a need arises in the majors.

Paul Gervase also impressed in spring, and left-hander Ronan Kopp is in his first year on the 40-man roster. Expect a lot of strikeouts from that pair.

Ryan Ward is also on the 40-man roster for the first time, but he returns to Oklahoma City, where the reigning Pacific Coast League MVP he holds several club records in the Bricktown era, a period since the current ballpark opened in 1998. Michael Siani will patrol the outfield for the Comets, likely flanked by Zach Ehrhard and/or James Tibbs.

Ehrhard and Tibbs, acquired from the Boston Red Sox for Dustin May last July, impressed as non-roster invitees in camp and as the older and more experienced of the plethora of stellar Dodgers outfield prospects are the closest to the majors among the group.

Jack Suwinski was briefly on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster this offseason, as was utility man Ryan Fitzgerald, who will likely play all over the infield and potentially some outfield for the Comets. Defensive whiz Noah Miller will play shortstop for Oklahoma City, whose infield also has Nick Senzel and Ryan Fitgerald, all of whom were non-roster invitees this spring for the Dodgers.

Veteran pitchers Cole Irvin and Keynan Middleton are on the Comets’ staff. Other Oklahoma City pitchers with major league experience are River’s brother Ryder Ryan, Garrett McDaniels, and Carlos Duran (pitched one game for the Athletics last season).

Irvin and Ryder Ryan will start the first two games, followed by Christian Romero on Sunday, per play-by-play broadcaster Alex Freedman.

Left-hander Antoine Kelly and right-hander Chris Campos, who were the last two non-roster pitchers standing in Dodgers camp this spring, each are on the Comets preliminary roster. left-hander Logan Allen, who signed a minor league contract last week, is also with Oklahoma City.

Pitcher José Rodríguez, who was touted as a potential Rule 5 Draft pick last December but went unselected, was a non-roster invitee this spring training but did not pitch. He starts the season on the 60-day injured list, as does veteran first baseman Matt Gorski.

Oklahoma City preliminary roster

• Starting pitchers (4): Cole Irvin, Ryder Ryan, Cristian Romero, Carlos Duran
• Right-handed relievers (8): Kyle Hurt*, Paul Gervase*, Chris Campos, Keynan Middleton, Jordan Weems, Wyatt Mills, Antonio Knowles, Jerming Rosario
• Left-handed relievers (4): Ronan Kopp*, Antoine Kelly, Logan Allen Garrett McDaniels
• Catchers (2): Eliézer Alfonzo, Seby Zavala
• Infielders (4): Ryan Fitzgerald, Noah Miller, Nick Senzel, Austin Gauthier
• Outfielders (4): Michael Siani*, Ryan Ward*, Jack Suwinski, Zach Ehrhard
• Infielder/outfielders (2): Hyeseong Kim*, James Tibbs III
• Injured list (2): rhp José Rodríguez (60-day), 1b Matt Gorski (60-day)

The Comets will finalize the roster before Friday’s season opener.

A bird defecating on a person’s head promises good fortune, according to the old superstition. 

There is less information established about the dark or promising omens when a bird dies nearby in your major league debut, but maybe Carson Benge will be the test case. 

On an afternoon that had a bit of everything — a phrase that nearly applies literally in this case — the Mets’ exciting rookie first sunk, then soared, then watched a bird soar and then sink in a scintillating and strange 11-7 Mets Opening Day victory over the Pirates at Citi Field. 

How did this measure up to your expectations, Carson? 

“Everything and more,” Benge said, accurately, after a Thursday that was mostly wondrous and part bizarre. 

First, the wondrous: Every at-bat from the club’s No. 2 prospect looked stronger than the previous one. He struck out twice, first against Paul Skenes — “Calm down,” Benge told himself after the three-pitch strikeout. “Deep breath, calm down.” — then Yohan Ramirez, before an impressive fight against lefty Mason Montgomery in the fifth. Benge dug a 1-2 hole before fouling off two pitches and letting three balls go by, earning an eight-pitch walk. 

With a bit more familiarity and feeling better about himself, Benge stepped up in the sixth inning, got a first-pitch sweeper from Pittsburgh’s Justin Lawrence and smoked a home run to right field. 

A person known as a baseball player and not an entertainer — a throwback who does not show much emotion on the field — made an exception. The 23-year-old watched the ball fly, touched first base and took a leap, his back to home plate, while his arms crept toward his torso and flexed. The moment he had dreamt about as a child had become a reality. 

“I just got chills,” said Benge, who was a spring star and only learned Monday that he won an Opening Day job. “This is where I’m supposed to be and just having fun.” 

He resumed his gait, rounded the bases and arrived at a rocking dugout. Manager Carlos Mendoza “told me it’s fun here,” Benge relayed with a smile. “I was like, ‘You’re right.’ ” 

He went through the high-five line, which was punctuated not by a slapping of hands but a big hug from Juan Soto. 

From there, Benge heard the sold-out crowd swell louder until he made his way to the top step of the dugout, where he took a curtain call. 

“It means the world,” said Benge — whose parents made the trip from Oklahoma, and who had 22 friends and family at the park. “Having all the people that have sacrificed so much for me come up and watch that happen is definitely big.” 

Offensively, Benge added a five-pitch walk in the eighth and swiped second base, which was the last normal “first” he could check off. There was the bizarre one — perhaps one proving that Benge can take whatever that is thrown at him in stride. 

Late in the game, “I heard a thud,” Benge said. He looked over and a bird had fallen from the sky a few feet away in right field. 

“I looked over and it was just down,” Benge said. “Down for the count.” 

He did not panic, his eyes trained on the batter. At least on the field, he appeared to be the only one aware of the animal. 

“I just looked around and was like, is anyone going to grab this?” Benge said. “No one was looking at it, so I wasn’t about to stop the game for it.” 

Unfortunately for him, the fans noticed, too, and they began chanting for him to pick it up. He declined, and after the frame a stadium worker ran onto the field and removed the bird, ending a surreal first day of Benge’s major league life. 

Is this a good or bad sign? 

“I’m not superstitious,” Benge said. “It worked out.”

SAN FRANCISCO — Aaron Boone likes to call this the week of overreactions.

Small sample sizes in the opening days of the season can provide dangerous fodder from which to make sweeping conclusions.

But given that this group of Yankees hitters had a substantial run together last season on the way to scoring the most runs in the majors, there was a little more legitimacy behind their reminder Wednesday night of what they are capable of on a daily basis — rolling deep and making life tough for opposing pitchers.

“I think you got a lot of different guys with a lot of different abilities,” said Austin Wells, who chipped in two hits out of the nine-hole in a 7-0 win over the Giants at Oracle Park.

“I think it blends really well and we all feed off each other. Starting with [Trent Grisham] at the top and working its way down, one through nine, that’s how it played out [Wednesday] and it’s been playing out for the last half-year.”

On many nights over the course of the season, the Yankees will crush homers or jump on Aaron Judge’s back to rack up wins.

But since this group has been playing together after last year’s trade deadline, it has also shown the ability to have nights like Wednesday, when it racks up 10 hits — nine of them singles, with Grisham’s two-run triple being the only exception — with a well-balanced attack.

“I think we can beat you a lot of different ways,” Boone said. 

Boone noted some of the Yankees’ aggressiveness on the bases paying off — such as Giancarlo Stanton scoring from second on José Caballero’s single to left field, Caballero hustling into second on the play when the throw went toward third base, and later Jazz Chisholm Jr. beating out a double play and forcing an errant throw that allowed Ben Rice to score from third.

Even more encouraging was the production from the bottom of the lineup, which fueled the five-run second inning and took the pressure off Judge, who went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts.

“I think guys were just going up there, doing what the game asked them to do, take their knock and we put a bunch of balls in play, found a couple holes and ended up putting up a good number,” Ryan McMahon said. “No easy outs. If we can just [keep] stacking those good at-bats, hopefully good things like that keep happening.”

The Yankees will try to show off more of their lineup depth Friday, when Boone plans to play all of his right-handed hitters against Giants lefty Robbie Ray (the only southpaw scheduled to face the Yankees this trip).

That could mean Paul Goldschmidt leading off and playing first base (for Ben Rice), Amed Rosario manning third (for McMahon) and Randal Grichuk starting in left field (with Cody Bellinger sliding to center and Grisham on the bench).

Happy Opening Day, Braves Country! During Thursday’s presser, Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss informed the media that Drake Baldwin would be in the Opening Day lineup, but not behind the dish. Instead, Baldwin will be in the DH role while Jonah Heim is behind the plate. 

It’s a pretty interesting way to roll things out. The Braves still get Baldwin’s bat but don’t have to throw him straight into catching duties on day one. At the same time, Heim gives them a nice presence behind the plate, which should help the pitching staff settle in early. It feels like a simple way to get the best of both worlds from the jump.

Weiss gave a few other hints at how the lineup would shape up, like Ronald Acuña Jr. and Mike Yastrzemski’s roles. The Braves kick off the 2026 campaign Friday evening with a matchup against the Kansas City Royals.

More Braves News:

The Braves reached a deal with Xfinity that will broadcast BravesVision, beginning today, March 27.

MLB News:

New York Mets non-roster outfielder Mike Tauchman will miss six weeks after undergoing meniscus surgery. 

Nico Hoerner and the Chicago Cubs agreed to a six-year extension. The financials of the contract have not been announced. 

The New York Mets and outfielder Tommy Pham agreed to a minor league deal. Should he be selected to the majors, he will earn a prorated salary of $2.25M.

The Milwaukee Brewers placed outfielder Jackson Chourio on the 10-day injured list due to a fracture in his left hand. He is expected to return in two to four weeks. 

There were fireworks, there was a flyover, there was Will Ferrell screaming and Keith Williams Jr. crooning and four months of cheers unleashed by fans wearing championship belts and howling grins.

But the real stars of Thursday’s Dodger opening day show never made a sound.

They arrived silently at the end of the pregame ceremony, carefully held by two of the men who helped win them, lifted high for all those who so passionately longed for them.

They were the last two Commissioner’s Trophies, the back-to-back World Series championship trophies, the two symbols of the Dodgers domination held side by side in the afternoon sun.

Man, it was beautiful. Goodness, how they sparkled. Incredible, how they glowed.

Read more:Miguel Rojas cherishes final opening day as 'Uncle Miggy' in Dodgers' win over Arizona

It was almost as if they were powered by some electrical force, some sort of championship current running between them, lighting them up with a blinding power curated by the battered fingers of the two veterans who touched them.

Freddie Freeman, whose grand slam doomed the New York Yankees, held the 2024 trophy. Miguel Rojas, whose home run stunned the Toronto Blue Jays, held the 2025 trophy.

Together they brought the trophies to the dugout from center field while riding in the back of a blue convertible driven by Ferrell as part of an elaborate video skit.

It was the first time many had seen the hardware side by side, and, amid audible gasps, their power was unmistakable. The greatness of the Dodgers accomplishment came to life on a day when their new task became equally clear.

“Three-peat!” screamed one of the pregame musicians.

Welcome, Dodgers, to 2026.

While manager Dave Roberts downplayed the three-peat talk before the opening 8-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks, you know it’s here, it’s there, it’s everywhere.

“At this moment, very minimal,” said Roberts when asked about the pressure. “...So yeah, hopefully we can keep that to a minimum throughout the season. But yeah, there’s obviously going to be a lot of talk about it.”

Thursday did nothing to dampen that talk. It was as if last season’s Game 7 against the Toronto Blue Jays was still being played. The Dodgers behaved like the exact same team with some of the same heroes.

The winning pitcher? Once again, it was Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who threw six solid innings with six strikeouts and no walks.

The game-changing play? Once again, it was Andy Pages, whose three-run home run in the fifth inning gave the Dodgers a lead they never lost.

The final big blow? Yep, Will Smith, whose two-run homer in the seventh inning clinched it.

There was even a World Series star coming out of the bullpen, new cult hero Will Klein entering the game to the night’s loudest ovation and throwing a scoreless inning.

It’s as if the Dodgers have been on the same roll for four months…with no signs of slowing. This could be crazy. This already is crazy.

Other than the cool trophies and the Diamondbacks trampling, the most notable show Thursday was unwittingly staged by Dodger Stadium itself.

Your dutiful correspondent’s first impression of his favorite place on earth upon returning here for his 37th home opener wasn’t about the deep green or brilliant blue or enduring mountainscape.

It was, when did this place become Las Vegas?

Illuminated by the new grotesquely red Uniqlo Field billboard hanging high above center field, the stadium appears to have been transformed into something straight from NASCAR, advertisements filling every nook and cranny of the pavilion and beyond. There are giant billboards above the bullpens. There are scribbled ads on the bullpen walls. There are screaming displays for beer, soda and healthcare, the latter of which you will need if you heed too many of these ads.

The incessant sales pitches are buffeted by the usual deafening pounding music, which makes Vin Scully Avenue seem like Las Vegas Boulevard.

Was it always like this? It doesn’t seem like it. The Dodgers have always been relentless billboard salesmen, but since the arrival of Shohei Ohtani, they’ve become a global attraction with seemingly every major company on earth willing to pay for a piece of their success.

Fans will probably notice that the biggest difference this year is the $125-million sponsorship deal with Uniqlo, a Japanese apparel company that bought center field. Chavez Ravine is now officially known as Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium and, yeah, on Thursday it was awful hearing public address announcer Todd Leitz introduce it like that.

Not to worry, nobody in their right mind is ever going to call it that. Nonetheless, the whole atmosphere was weird and unsettling.

Still, it’s hard to blame the Dodgers. They’ve spent gobs of money building a two-time defending champion, and those bucks have got to come from somewhere.

You want Kyle Tucker? Live with the beer ad. You want a $1 billion rotation? Deal with the bank ad.

Unlike many other teams that have made baseball a haven for cheapskates, the Dodgers invest much of their revenue back into the roster.

It’s not always pretty. It can be loud and distracting and obnoxious. But it works.

As night fell on a blessed blue Thursday, the Dodgers had won their eighth straight home opener. They did it with pitching, hitting, depth, and two of the prettiest pieces of jewelry you’ve ever seen.

It was a day to celebrate the completion of the most incredible two-year journey in franchise history.

It was also a day to realize that the journey has just begun.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.