Rangers-Phillies Opening Day starters: Eovaldi vs. Sánchez
The Phillies and Rangers hope to meet again in late October, but for now they’ve got Opening Day.
It will be the first time they will play each other on Opening Day since 2014, when they met at old Globe Life Park. (It will be only the second time they’ve played each other in the season opener in their histories.)
The Phillies won that matchup, 14-10. Jimmy Rollins hit a grand slam in the second inning. Marlon Byrd and Cody Asche also homered for the Phillies. Alex Rios homered for the Rangers.
Cliff Lee and Tanner Scheppers started for the Phillies and Rangers, respectively.
Here’s a look at who will be on the mound on Thursday:
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Rangers: RHP Nathan Eovaldi
Previous Opening Day starts: 2020-22 (Red Sox), 2024-25 (Rangers)
2025 season: 11-3, 1.73 ERA in 22 starts
In a rotation of aces, Eovaldi received the nod, with co-ace Jacob deGrom lining up for the home opener on April 3 against the Reds in Arlington.
“The rotation that we have, we're stacked,” Eovaldi said. “We’ve got a lot of guys that are able to go out there and have the Opening Day [nod], and do really well out there as well. Being able to be the first one to start the season, it's a huge honor for me. … I take a lot of honor and pride in going out there and being able to represent the Rangers on Opening Day. It’s my responsibility to go out there and have a strong quality start and set the tone for the season.”
Eovaldi is set to become just the fourth pitcher in Rangers history (since 1972) to make three or more consecutive Opening Day starts, joining Kevin Millwood (2006-09), Nolan Ryan (1990-92) and Charlie Hough (1987-89).
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Phillies: LHP Cristopher Sánchez
Previous Opening Day starts: None
2025 season: 15-11, 3.22 ERA in 34 starts
Sánchez gets the nod because -- A) He earned it, and B) Zack Wheeler is opening the season on the injured list. Sánchez went 13-5 with a 2.50 ERA in 32 starts last season. He finished second to Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes for the NL Cy Young Award. It was a great year, but Sánchez said he isn’t satisfied. He said he spent the offseason working on himself to make himself as consistently excellent as possible.
“This is not about one year,” Sánchez said recently. “It’s not even about two or three. This is about the long run. This is about being consistent for a long time. If I want to be great in this game, I have to do things this way. I need to be hard on myself.”
Sánchez will be the third Phillies pitcher born outside the United States to start on Opening Day in franchise history. The others were Venezuelan Omar Daal in 2001 and Canadian Oscar Judd in 1946.