How Bryce, Manny, others fared with new teams

Handful of MLB stars donned new colors on Opening Day

March 28th, 2019

Opening Day saw many stars debut in new uniforms, with free agents and trade participants donning new colors for the first time.

The following is a rundown of the most notable veteran debuts with new clubs from Thursday’s action:

Bryce Harper, Andrew McCutchen, J.T. Realmuto and Jean Segura, Phillies

Philly’s new-look offense hummed to a 10-4 win over the Braves, and the show got started with the free-agent signing McCutchen’s leadoff homer against Atlanta starter Julio Teheran. McCutchen finished 1-for-4 on the day with a walk and two runs scored.

Harper, meanwhile, received several standing ovations and dazzled with bright green Phillie Phanatic cleats in his first game in Phillies colors. Though he finished 0-for-3, Harper’s intentional walk set up Rhys Hoskins’ seventh-inning grand slam that put the game on ice. Realmuto, who arrived in Philly via a trade with the Marlins, went 0-for-3 with a walk. Segura, acquired in a separate trade with Seattle, went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored.

Manny Machado, Padres

Machado was warmly received by the San Diego crowd in his first Padres game since signing his 10-year, $300 million contract in February. The superstar third baseman struck out twice and grounded into a double play in San Diego's 2-0 win over the Giants.

Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz, Mets

Cano’s first plate appearance for New York was a memorable one: The second baseman homered off Nationals ace Max Scherzer to become the 10th Mets player to go deep in his first at-bat with the franchise, and the first since Mike Jacobs did so in his MLB debut on Aug. 21, 2005. Perhaps even more impressive was the fact that Cano homered off a Scherzer changeup, which just one big league hitter managed to do in 2018. Cano added an RBI single in the eighth to account for the offense in New York's 2-0 win.

Diaz, who also came to Queens by way of New York’s mega-trade with Seattle, worked a clean ninth for his first save with his new team.

Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals

Goldy is now a Cardinal for the foreseeable future thanks to his five-year, $130 million contract extension, but he’ll certainly have better days for St. Louis than his 0-for-3 showing with three strikeouts and a walk on Thursday.

Yasiel Puig, Reds

Cincinnati’s new outfielder rocked Drake as his walk-up song, but the beats did not yield a hit as Puig finished 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts in the Reds’ 5-3 win over the Pirates.

Josh Donaldson, Braves

In the first game of his one-year deal with Atlanta, the former American League MVP went 0-for-3 but drew a walk and scored on Ronald Acuna Jr.’s RBI single in the eighth.

Michael Brantley, Astros

Houston jumped on reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell for five runs, and Brantley helped lead the charge with solo homer in the fourth. The free-agent signing finished 2-for-4 on the day as the Astros won, 5-1.

Nelson Cruz, Twins

The free-agent signing went 1-for-4 with a single on a day where offense was at a premium in the Twins’ 2-0 win over the Indians.

AJ Pollock, Dodgers

Pollock was one of the few Dodgers who didn’t go deep as Los Angeles knocked an Opening Day-record eight homers in its 12-5 rout of the D-backs. The free-agent signing finished 0-for-3 with a walk.

Daniel Murphy, Rockies

Murphy figures to rack up plenty of hits in cavernous Coors Field this year, but the free-agent signing went 0-for-5 during the Rockies' 6-3 win in Miami.