SAN FRANCISCO — The 2026 MLB season begins Wednesday night at Oracle Park with the Yankees facing the Giants in a four-game series opener streamed globally on Netflix. First pitch is set for 8:05 p.m. ET with a pregame show starting at 7 p.m. ET. It is the first time in decades that these two storied franchises have met on Opening Day.
The Yankees enter off back-to-back 94-win seasons. The Giants begin a new era under first-year MLB manager Tony Vitello. Both teams carry question marks into the opener, but the Yankees hold edges in several key areas that could define the early tone of the series.
Above all, the teams have a 124-year-old rivalry to fall back for fuel.
Fried vs. Webb headlines the Yankees’ Opening Night pitching matchup
Max Fried takes the mound for the Yankees in his first Opening Day start in pinstripes. The left-hander was dominant in 2025, going 19-5 with a 2.86 ERA, 189 strikeouts and a 1.10 WHIP across 195.1 innings. He posted a 4.40 ERA in 14.1 spring innings but showed strong command throughout camp.
Logan Webb makes his fifth straight Opening Day start for the Giants. He led MLB in innings pitched last season with 207.0 and topped the NL in strikeouts with 224. His 2025 ERA was 3.22 with a 1.24 WHIP. His final spring outing was rough, allowing six earned runs in 4.1 innings against the Rockies with an atypical reliance on cutters and four-seamers.
| Pitcher | 2025 W-L | 2025 ERA | 2025 IP | 2025 K | 2025 WHIP | Spr ERA |
| Max Fried (NYY) | 19-5 | 2.86 | 195.1 | 189 | 1.10 | 4.40 |
| Logan Webb (SF) | 15-11 | 3.22 | 207.0 | 224 | 1.24 | 6.75 |
Projected Opening Night lineups
The Yankees stack left-handed bats near the top of the order against the right-handed Webb. Grisham, Bellinger and Rice all hit from the left side, with Judge providing the right-handed anchor at the two spot. Jose Caballero fills in at shortstop while Anthony Volpe recovers from October shoulder surgery. Volpe is not expected back until May.
The Giants counter with a right-handed-heavy lineup against the left-handed Fried. Ramos, Chapman, Adames, Encarnacion and Bader all hit from the right side. Luis Arraez provides contact balance from the left side. Harrison Bader is listed as day-to-day with hamstring tightness. If he cannot go, Jung Hoo Lee would shift to center field with Bader potentially moving to DH.
| # | Yankees (vs Webb, RHP) | Giants (vs Fried, LHP) |
| 1 | Trent Grisham (CF) | Heliot Ramos (LF) |
| 2 | Aaron Judge (RF) | Rafael Devers (1B) |
| 3 | Cody Bellinger (LF) | Matt Chapman (3B) |
| 4 | Ben Rice (1B) | Willy Adames (SS) |
| 5 | Giancarlo Stanton (DH) | Luis Arraez (2B) |
| 6 | Jazz Chisholm Jr. (2B) | Jerar Encarnacion (DH) |
| 7 | Jose Caballero (SS) | Jung Hoo Lee (RF) |
| 8 | Ryan McMahon (3B) | Harrison Bader (CF) |
| 9 | Austin Wells (C) | Patrick Bailey (C) |
Key hitters to watch in this Yankees vs. Giants series
Aaron Judge arrives in San Francisco hitting .316 with a 1.247 OPS and three home runs this spring. His 2025 baseline was .331 with 53 home runs and a 1.145 OPS. Giancarlo Stanton has been crushing the ball at exit velocities over 110 mph and carries four spring home runs with a .990 OPS.
For the Giants, Matt Chapman hit .406 with two home runs this spring. Bader was at .316 with a homer before the hamstring flared. Rafael Devers, acquired from Boston, had a quiet spring at .172 with a .510 OPS but carries a 2025 baseline of .252 with 35 home runs.
| Hitter | Team | Spr AVG | Spr HR | Spr OPS |
| Aaron Judge | NYY | .316 | 3 | 1.247 |
| Giancarlo Stanton | NYY | .286 | 4 | .990 |
| Ben Rice | NYY | .227 | 1 | .692 |
| Matt Chapman | SF | .405 | 3 | 1.259 |
| Rafael Devers | SF | .172 | 1 | .510 |
| Harrison Bader | SF | .316 | 1 | .988 |
Injuries tilt the edge toward the Yankees
The Yankees are missing Volpe at shortstop, plus Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and Clarke Schmidt on the pitching side. All three Yankees pitchers are rehabbing from procedures and will open the year on the injured list. But the rest of the Yankees roster is healthy and intact.
The Giants are thinner. Relievers Sam Hentges, Reiver Sanmartin and Joel Peguero are expected to open on the IL. Pitchers Hayden Birdsong and Randy Rodriguez are out for the year following Tommy John surgery. That leaves a materially weakened bullpen behind Webb. The Yankees hold a clear late-inning advantage with David Bednar as closer and Camilo Doval, Fernando Cruz and Tim Hill as setup options.
Giants reliever Ryan Walker, who posted a 0.00 ERA with eight strikeouts in 7.0 spring innings, is expected to step into the closer role. But the depth behind him is uncertain.
Oracle Park favors run suppression
Oracle Park was the toughest home run park in baseball in 2025, with a park factor of 66 where 100 is average. The dimensions include 415 feet to right-center and 391 to straightaway center. Wednesday’s forecast calls for partial sunshine with temperatures dropping into the low 50s by game time. The cooler evening air typically reduces carry even further.
Betting markets reflect the environment. The Yankees are priced as small road favorites around minus-120 with totals sitting at 6.5 to 7. The combination of frontline starters, a pitcher-friendly park and early-season bullpen volatility all point toward a low-scoring game. The Yankees’ late-inning depth gives them an edge if the score stays tight.
The full series at a glance
The Yankees and Giants play four games at Oracle Park from March 25 through March 28. Wednesday’s Yankees opener on Netflix features Fried vs. Webb. The remaining pitching matchups for the series are expected to include Cam Schlittler, Will Warren and Ryan Weathers for the Yankees against Robbie Ray, Tyler Mahle and Adrian Houser for the Giants.
The Yankees hold the overall edge in starting pitching depth, bullpen reliability and lineup power. The Giants counter with home-field advantage, a pitcher-friendly park and a lineup built to handle left-handed pitching. Something has to give Wednesday night. And the Yankees’ 2026 campaign begins.
Who do you actually has the upper hand?
