BRADENTON, Fla. -- The Orioles had two strong options to choose from when deciding on their 2026 Opening Day starter -- Kyle Bradish and Trevor Rogers, the co-aces of the rotation. Both had strong résumés and deserving cases.
However, the O’s will be handing the ball to the reigning Most Valuable Oriole Award winner for Game 1 of the new campaign.
Rogers was named Baltimore’s Opening Day starter on Friday afternoon, as the 28-year-old left-hander will take the mound for the March 26 matchup vs. Minnesota at Camden Yards. It will mark the first time the southpaw has started an opener in seven big league seasons.
"We had a lot of guys that can start Opening Day, and ultimately, we landed on Trevor Rogers. He deserves it after last year and the performance, the work he’s put in this offseason coming in," manager Craig Albernaz said. "We couldn't be happier to give the ball to Trevor for Opening Day and see what he can do."
The Orioles have had a different Opening Day starter in five straight years, with Rogers set to follow Zach Eflin (2025), Corbin Burnes (‘24), Kyle Gibson (‘23) and John Means (‘21 and ‘22).
Albernaz informed Rogers of the decision on Friday morning. Shortly after, Rogers said his wife, Tessa, asked him if he'd have jitters when taking the mound for the opener.
"Damn right I'm going to have some jitters. It's going to be exciting, just being with the best fans in baseball at Camden Yards and just a beautiful ballpark," Rogers said. "I'm already trying to contain my excitement right now. I'm just ready to get up there, pitch in front of those incredible fans and give them a show."
Rogers, who will be Baltimore’s first left-handed Opening Day starter since Means, had a dominant 2025 season. He recorded a 1.81 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP in 109 2/3 innings over 18 starts, earning a ninth-place finish in American League Cy Young Award voting.
It was quite a turnaround from 2024, when Rogers struggled after getting dealt from the Marlins to the O’s ahead of the Trade Deadline. Following the trade, he posted a 7.11 ERA in four starts for Baltimore before getting optioned to Triple-A Norfolk to finish the season.
In 2025, Rogers began the year on the injured list due to a right knee subluxation, then returned to Triple-A. He returned for a spot start in Boston on May 24, when he tossed 6 1/3 scoreless innings in a 2-1 win over the Red Sox. Rogers later rejoined the rotation full time in mid-June.
Rogers was an All-Star for Miami in 2021, when he had a 2.64 ERA in 25 starts and placed second in National League Rookie of the Year Award voting. He struggled when healthy for much of the next three years, though there were flashes showing he could eventually return to that level.
Now, Rogers is a core piece of the Orioles’ rotation entering the final year of his contract, aiming to repeat his success from last season.
“I had a really good year, but anything that I could do to continue to be consistent for this team and help this team win, I’m willing to do. I just want to do my job well,” Rogers said earlier this spring. “You want to replicate some things that worked well, but obviously, work on some things that I needed to work on. ... Just trying to become more of a complete pitcher.”
With Rogers starting the opener, Bradish is the favorite to start Game 2 against the Twins on March 28. The 29-year-old right-hander has made only 14 starts over the past two seasons because he underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2024, but he’s been stellar when healthy since the start of ‘23, recording a 2.78 ERA in 44 starts over that span.
The O’s will likely be cautious with the workload for Bradish, who had a 2.53 ERA in six starts upon his return last season. He’s fully healthy and in good form -- as shown by his five scoreless innings of one-hit ball vs. the Pirates on Wednesday -- but he hasn’t pitched a full season since 2023.
Bradish knew there was a good chance Rogers could get the Opening Day assignment after Rogers’ electric first session of live batting practice on Feb. 14.
“I don’t know how much of a competition it is after that performance,” Bradish joked the next day.
But Rogers and Bradish are both team-first players with more important goals than being named the Opening Day starter. They’re focused on trying to help Baltimore bounce back after a disappointing 75-87 performance last season that sparked the team’s aggressive offseason.
“Anywhere in the rotation is good for me,” Bradish said. “I’m looking for 30 starts, not just one.”
“All I want is I want to pitch in Camden,” Rogers said. “That’s all I care about. Whatever gives this team the best opportunity to win, I’m all for it.”