The majority of MLB clubs will make their season debuts today. Fans are in for a treat as some of the most elite hurlers in the game will be showcasing their best stuff.
Here’s a look at five pitching matchups that should live up to the Opening Day hype.
5. Madison Bumgarner (Giants) vs. Josh Collmenter (Diamondbacks)
A 29-year-old who won a career-high 11 games last season and didn’t make any starts in 2013 is set to get the nod for the D-backs’ opener. But he is not the headliner. That distinction goes to last year’s playoff hero.
How can Bumgarner possibly top what took place last October? The lefty went from star to superstar in a matter of weeks, deservedly earning World Series MVP honors in the process. This game certainly doesn’t possess the cache of a postseason contest, but it should play into Bumgarner’s hands. In four starts against Arizona last year, he went 2-0 with a 2.22 ERA.
4. Bartolo Colon (Mets) vs. Max Scherzer (Nationals)
The Nationals’ elite offseason acquisition gets his official inauguration in Washington D.C. right away. Scherzer cemented himself as No. 1 in the Tigers’ rotation by following up a 2013 Cy Young campaign with an 18-5 mark (with 252 K’s and a 3.15 ERA) last year. Now, he goes from a strong starting staff in Detroit to an even stronger one in Washington.
Perhaps the Mets will one day become one of baseball’s deepest rotations. Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and other prospects can help make that happen. Colon, on the other hand, is trying to turn back the hands of time. The 41-year-old has won 33 games over the past two seasons.
3. Jeff Samardzija (White Sox) vs. Yordano Ventura (Royals)
Samardzija pitched on Opening Day in Chicago and Ventura was a relatively unknown player at age 22 just one year ago.
Fast-forward to the present day, where Samardzija is once again an Opening Day starter with a Chicago ballclub and Ventura has gained vital experience and respect by pitching in the postseason.
The route back to the Windy City for Samardzija was a circuitous one. His low ERA with the Cubs got the attention of the A’s and got him traded to Oakland in the middle of the season. But a Billy Beane fire sale resulted in a swap with the White Sox. Ventura stayed put, of course, but the departure of veteran ace James Shields puts a bit more pressure on a young, but powerful, right arm.
2. James Shields (Padres) vs. Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers)
Kansas City’s loss—Shields—was San Diego’s gain. It was one of many moves made in the lead-up to the regular season.
San Diego’s offseason acquisitions keep piling up: • James Shields • Wil Myers • Matt Kemp • Justin Upton • Melvin Upton Jr. • Craig Kimbrel
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 5, 2015
Shields traded Royal blue for the Padres’ colors this past winter, and now will do his best to trade zeros with the game’s best. Kershaw, though, wasn’t at his best in the playoffs. His 2014 regular season, however, was filled with pure dominance. He went 21–3 with a 1.77 ERA in 27 starts and won his third Cy Young Award.
While Kershaw’s greatness will ultimately be determined by how he performs in future postseason outings, he can put everything behind him and silence the doubters with a strong start to 2015.
1. Jered Weaver (Angels) vs. Felix Hernandez (Mariners)
No strangers to Opening Day starts, these two “aces” faced off in the 2014 opener. And neither disappointed. All King Felix needed in that game was one run, and the Mariners emerged victorious, 1-0. There’s little reason to doubt something similar won’t happen again.
Weaver led the AL in wins last year as the Angels finished with the league’s best record. And Los Angeles figures to be in the mix again this season. But Seattle will likely be hot on its tail—with Hernandez (the AL’s ERA and WHIP leader) once again leading the charge.