The start of the MLB 2026 season was exciting and had a lot of big moments in the highly anticipated return of the baseball season which began on March 25. Teams all around the league played their first games in late March, and fans got a preview of who might become a force throughout the season. Some games were really close, yet high scoring on opening day, signaling a strong offensive season for the MLB’s rookie class of 2026. There were a lot of strikeouts, home runs, and surprising plays that made the start of the season fun to watch, especially with the debut of the new ABS (automated ball-strike) system. It was clear from the start that this season is going to be full of action.
Photo courtesy of OpenAI
Some players had amazing performances on Opening Day. Jacob Misiorowski from the Brewers had one of the best feats, striking out 11 batters and helping his team win 14-2. Max Fried also pitched great and didn’t let the other team score at all in a 7-0 win for the Yankees, not to mention a strong outing from Cam Schlittler whose fastball varieties kept hitters guessing. Yoshinobu Yamamoto was dominant too, helping the Dodgers score an easy victory from the get-go. A rookie on the Guardians, Chase DeLauter, hit two home runs in his first game, which is a really impressive feat that deserves some attention. Christopher Sanchez also stood out with 10 strikeouts for the Phillies.
One report said Misiorowski “dominated the game with 11 strikeouts,” and another said DeLauter had a “huge debut with two home runs.” This is just a glimpse of how the players performed in the early days of the season and why they were some of the best performances on Opening Day.
Some highly anticipated players are off to a slow start in spite of some stellar performances in the World Baseball Classic. Some players and teams have struggled to transition. Paul Skenes had a very rough first game and gave up five runs in less than one inning against the Mets.
The Houston Astros didn’t play well on offense and only got three hits in their game. The Chicago White Sox had one of the worst days because their pitchers gave up 14 runs in a big loss to the Brewers.
One MLB source said Skenes was “hit hard easily” and another said the Astros “managed just three hits” on opening day. Since then, Skenes has gone on to win three games with a 4.0 ERA.
Lately, there have been some cold streaks from players such as Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the Yankees and the Mets’ third baseman Bo Bichette. Back on April 2, Chisholm went 0-for-4 and looked frustrated at the plate, and just a couple days later on April 5, he had another tough one going 0-for-3. Aaron Judge, even though he’s a big star, had a quiet night on April 7 where he went 0-for-4, showing that even the best might take some time to heat up. Meanwhile, Bo Bichette had a rough game on April 6 going 0-for-4, and then again on April 9, he only had 1 hit in 5 at-bats. From the dugout to the stands, you can feel the frustration from players who are trying to find their stride. Chisholm received some criticism after admitting that he doesn’t play well in the cold, meanwhile, he failed to perform against the Rays in Tampa. In the world of baseball, one day you can be hot, and the next day you’re just trying to get a hit.
When it comes to failed attempts at winning, it’s not always the players who get it wrong. Sometimes the umpires make bad calls that can totally change the game. That’s why the new ABS system is being implemented, as computers help decide if a pitch is a ball or a strike if a batter, pitcher, or catcher challenges a call within several seconds. In the past, there have been some really bad missed calls, like during Game 6 of the 1985 World Series between the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals. Late in the game, with the Cardinals winning and one out away from the championship, umpire Don Denkinger made a blown call at first base. He said Royals player Jorge Orta was safe, but replays clearly showed he was out. Because of that mistake, the Royals kept the inning alive, scored runs, and won the game. Then they crushed the Cardinals in Game 7 and won the World Series. Watching from the stands, it feels like these mistakes make a big impact on the game. Therefore, a system like this could help make the game more fair and stop big moments from being ruined by a wrong call.
Overall, the start of the MLB season is exposing teams’ weaknesses and vulnerabilities as much as it is showcasing strengths. After narrowly losing the World Series to the Dodgers in 2025, the Blue Jays find themselves in last place, plagued by injuries, an under-performing offense, and the league’s worst bullpen ERA. Similarly, with an 11-game losing streak as of April 19, the Mets are looking to turn things around and get their offense going, especially with an injured Juan Soto on the 10-day IL. Meanwhile, after overcoming a stretch of loses themselves, the Yankees bounced back and now look to maintain their first-place lead over the Rays in the month of April as they face off with the Red Sox. If the season continues this way, there will be many more surprises in store to keep baseball fans talking.
