It’s opening day and a new season has brought a new look
Andrew McCutchen got the first hit of the year, up against the still-dormant ivy at Wrigley Field. He delivered as a National League designated hitter. Wearing a Roberto Clemente No. 21 patch, too.
A little later on opening day, Nico Hoerner hit the first home run of 2022. He connected off a pitcher who used an electronic wristband to receive his signals from the catcher.
Soon after that, in another yard, the Cleveland Guardians took the field for the first time.
New season, and definitely a new look all across Major League Baseball.
And if the weather wasn’t quite summer-like in some spots Thursday, well, who cares?
“It might be cold, it might be windy. But it’s opening day,” Cardinals fan Mary Welsh of Belleville, Illinois, said at Busch Stadium before St. Louis hosted Pittsburgh.
Out near Disneyland, where temperatures neared 100 degrees, AL MVP Shohei Ohtani was set to flash his 100 mph heat and take his swings for the Los Angeles Angels.
In Atlanta, the Braves celebrated their World Series championship with a pregame parade. At every ballpark, umpires stareted to get their say – this year, they’ve join referees from other sports in announcing replay review decisions to the crowd.
As seats filled up in rainy Washington, chilly Kansas City and more, it seemed fans decided the 99-day owners’ lockout that delayed spring training and pushed back opening day by a week wouldn’t deter them from coming back.
Wearing an Ernie Banks jersey, 23-year-old Philip Lijewski from Guthrie, Oklahoma, enjoyed the view at Wrigley as the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers loosened up. He said the anger and acrimony over the labor strife didn’t dampen his enthusiasm for the game.
“Not really,” Lijewski said. “I’m glad that they came to a conclusion sooner rather than later. I was bummed that we didn’t
a hit but managed to score twice after reaching on a walk and a fielder’s choice. He also had a stolen base.
Diamondbacks lefthander Madison Bumgarner — making his eighth opening day start — threw two scoreless innings before trouble in the third. He walked four Padres, needing 42 pitches to get through the inning, and Luke Voit’s walk forced in Kim to give
San Diego a 1-0 lead.
Bumgarner struck out Wil Myers to end the threat, but the pitcher’s day was done. He gave up one run and one hit over three innings.
It was a warm opening day in Phoenix and it was 93 degrees for the 6:40 p.m. first pitch, though it cooled off quickly once the sun went down. The T-shirts and shorts provided a much different scene than places like Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City, where cold and blustery conditions
were the norm.
It was a rough offensive start, but a great finish for the Diamondbacks, who are trying to improve on last year’s 110-loss season.
Joe Mantiply (1-0) earned the win with a scoreless ninth.
ROGERS TO SAN DIEGO
Looking for bullpen help, the Padres shook up their roster on opening day, adding All-Star reliever Taylor Rogers and outfielder Brent Rooker in a trade with Minnesota. Melvin said pregame that Rogers would
immediately slide into the back of the bullpen when he arrives. Rooker will start in Triple-A.
San Diego sent righthanders Chris Paddack and Emilio Pagán to the Twins.
PROFAR IN LEFT, AGAIN Jurickson Profar started in left field, giving the Padres a little continuity at the position.
Profar’s second opening day in a row in left snapped a streak of 17 straight years in which San Diego started a different left fielder. Ryan Klesko started in left in 2004
and 2005.
That’s the second-longest streak in MLB history behind the St. Louis Browns/ Baltimore Orioles, who started different left fielders 19 years in a row from 1937-55.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: San Diego opened the season with two players on the 10-day injured list: RHPs Mike Clevinger and Luís Garcia. Tatis is on the 60-day IL after having surgery during spring training on his broken left wrist.
Diamondbacks: Arizona
started with three players on the 10-day injured list, including two projected starters, SS Nick Ahmed (right shoulder inflammation) and 3B Josh Rojas (strained right oblique). RHP J.B. Bukauskas is on the 60-day IL with a strained right shoulder.
UP NEXT
The Diamondbacks and Padres meet Friday night for the second game of a four-game series. RHP Merrill Kelly starts for Arizona against Padres newcomer Sean Manaea.