Here is a look at the player who has the longest active streak of Opening Day starts at each position, through the 2026 season opener between the Yankees and Giants on Wednesday.
All-time data is since 1901, the first season for which it is available.
Catcher: J.T. Realmuto (Phillies)
Consecutive Opening Day starts: 7
When Yadier Molina retired before the 2023 season, his streak of 18 consecutive Opening Day starts at catcher for the Cardinals came to an end. He was succeeded by Willson Contreras and Martín Maldonado, who had eight in a row through 2024. But with Contreras now playing first base and Maldonado serving in a backup role before retiring, it's Realmuto's turn at the top. The three-time All-Star has not missed an Opening Day behind the plate since arriving in Philly in 2019.
Longest all-time streak: 20 -- Ivan Rodriguez (1992-2011)
First base: Matt Olson (Braves, Athletics) and Carlos Santana (Guardians, Twins, Pirates, Royals, Phillies)
Consecutive Opening Day starts: 8
Two 14-year streaks recently came to a close: Paul Goldschmidt was not in the Yankees’ starting lineup for Wednesday’s Opening Night game, while in 2025, Freddie Freeman was scratched from Game 1 of the Tokyo Series due to left rib discomfort. That means Olson and Santana, who are set to extend their respective streaks to nine in 2026, take over the active leader spot here. Santana is set to start at first base for the D-backs, the ninth club he will have played for during his career and the sixth during an Opening Day streak that began in 2018 with Philadelphia.
Longest all-time streak: 19 -- Joe Judge (1916-34)
Second base: Ozzie Albies (Braves)
Consecutive Opening Day starts: Eight
Only a fractured right thumb suffered during the 2023 World Baseball Classic broke a Jose Altuve streak that could have increased to 13 seasons in 2024. (Although Altuve moved to left field in 2025.) Albies, who made his first Opening Day start at age 21 in 2018, logged his eighth straight for the Braves at second base in 2025.
Longest all-time streak: 20 -- Joe Morgan (1965-84)
Third base: Nolan Arenado (Cardinals, Rockies)
Consecutive Opening Day starts: 12
Arenado is poised to extend a long streak with his third team after being traded to the D-backs in the offseason. After debuting early in the 2013 season, Arenado still has never missed an Opening Day, making seven such starts for the Rockies and five for the Cardinals.
Longest all-time streak: 20 -- Brooks Robinson (1957-76)
Shortstop: Dansby Swanson (Cubs, Braves) and Trea Turner (Phillies, Dodgers, Nationals)
Consecutive Opening Day starts: Nine
Corey Seager had nine straight entering 2025, but while he was in the Rangers' lineup to start the season, it was at DH instead of shortstop. Up next are Swanson and Turner, two longtime stalwarts at the position. Swanson entered 2025 third on the active list for games played at shortstop, ranking behind only Xander Bogaerts and Francisco Lindor.
Longest all-time streak: 18 -- Luis Aparicio (1956-73)
Left field: Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (D-backs, Blue Jays)
Consecutive Opening Day starts: Five
Left field tends to be a more transient position, so there aren't any long streaks here. Andrew Benintendi had eight straight starts in left field through 2024 but started at DH for the White Sox in the 2025 opener. Christian Yelich's five-game streak ended for the same reason. That leaves Gurriel, who made his first career Opening Day start as a second baseman for Toronto in 2019, but his streak will end in 2026: Gurriel will start the season on the injured list while recovering from ACL surgery.
Longest all-time streak: 17 -- Barry Bonds (1988-2004), Luis Gonzalez (1991-2007)
Center field: Luis Robert Jr. (White Sox)
Consecutive Opening Day starts: Six
Robert, who was traded to the Mets during the 2025-26 offseason, is set to make it seven straight years, assuming he’s in the lineup Thursday against the Pirates at Citi Field. The Yankees’ Cody Bellinger was previously tied with Robert with six straight Opening Day starts, but Bellinger started in left field, rather than center, in New York’s 2026 Opening Night clash with the Giants.
Longest all-time streak: 20 -- Willie Mays (1954-73)
Right field: Teoscar Hernández (Dodgers, Mariners, Blue Jays) and Hunter Renfroe (Royals, Angels, Brewers, Red Sox, Rays)
Consecutive Opening Day starts: Six
Max Kepler's streak of eight straight Opening Day starts in right field was foiled by the Phillies moving him to left after signing him last offseason. That leaves a pair of well-traveled right fielders taking the top spot in his stead. For Renfroe, 2025 was the first time during this streak that he actually started on Opening Day for the same team twice, going back to back in Kansas City. (In fact, Renfroe also started an opener in the right field for a sixth team, the Padres, back in 2017.)
Longest all-time streak: 15 -- Roberto Clemente (1958-72)
Designated hitter: Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers, Angels)
Consecutive Opening Day starts: Six
Because this is Ohtani, this streak includes two seasons (2022-23) when he also started on the mound on Opening Day. Ohtani couldn't complete his rehab from elbow surgery in time to make that three in 2025, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto drew the Opening Day start for L.A. in 2026, but don't count out the possibility of Ohtani adding to that feat in the future.
Starting pitcher: Logan Webb (Giants)
Consecutive Opening Day starts: Five
Webb’s start Wednesday against the Yankees was his fifth in a row on Opening Day, trailing only Juan Marichal (six) for the most in Giants history. It broke a tie with Framber Valdez, who had started four straight Opening Days for the Astros but, after signing with the Tigers in free agency, will cede the nod to two-time defending Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal in 2026.
Longest all-time streak: 14 -- Jack Morris (1980-93)