It’s time for the opening weekend of the 2025 MLB season, which means many of the best pitchers in the league will take the mound. And there are several pitching matchups worth checking out.
Here are the five best pitching matchups for this week’s action:
5 Best Pitching Matchups This Week
| Away Starter | Home Starter | Game | Date/Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Logan Webb | Hunter Greene | Giants vs. Reds | Thursday at 4:10 p.m. ET |
| Chris Sale | Michael King | Braves vs. Padres | Thursday at 4:10 p.m. ET |
| Paul Skenes | Sandy Alcántara | Pirates vs. Marlins | Thursday at 4:10 p.m. ET |
| Tarik Skubal | Blake Snell | Tigers vs. Dodgers | Thursday at 7:10 p.m. ET |
| Luis Severino | Logan Gilbert | Athletics vs. Mariners | Thursday at 10:10 p.m. ET |
Logan Webb vs. Hunter Greene
In terms of elite pitchers, these two hurlers might actually be underrated.
Webb has been the Giants’ workhorse, leading the National League in innings the last two years. He’s pitched 855 1/3 frames in six seasons, posting a career 3.42 ERA and 770 strikeouts.
Greene, the Reds’ hard-throwing righty, finished eighth in Cy Young voting last year. He whiffed 169 batters in 150 1/3 innings, spinning a 2.75 ERA.
Chris Sale vs. Michael King
Veteran left-hander Chris Sale finally got his Cy Young award last year for the Braves. He finished 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA, stepping up for a rotation that lost Spencer Strider in the spring. Sale will turn 36 on Sunday.
King had a breakout campaign in his first season with the Padres last year. He posted a 2.95 ERA and 201 strikeouts in 173 2/3 innings. King enters the season as a Cy Young contender and has a chance to prove it in Game 1.
Paul Skenes vs. Sandy Alcántara
Skenes might already be the best pitcher in the league after a brilliant rookie campaign with the Pirates, recording a 1.96 ERA and 170 strikeouts in 133 innings.
Alcántara is back after missing the 2024 season to recover from Tommy John surgery. He won the Cy Young award in 2022, posting a 2.28 ERA and 207 strikeouts across 228 2/3 frames. His stuff looked just as impressive this spring.
It doesn’t get much better than this pitching matchup.
Tarik Skubal vs. Blake Snell
ESPN will broadcast an epic pitching battle on opening day.
Skubal won the AL Cy Young award for the Tigers last year. He went 18-4 with a 2.39 ERA and 228 strikeouts in 192 innings. The left-hander enters as the favorite to repeat in the AL for a reason.
Snell, a two-time Cy Young winner, hopes to find a home with the Dodgers. In the offseason, he signed a five-year, $182 million deal with Los Angeles. Snell registered a 3.12 ERA and 145 strikeouts in 20 starts for the San Francisco Giants in 2024.
Luis Severino vs. Logan Gilbert
The final game of opening day could be a pitcher’s duel.
Severino landed the most expensive contract in Athletics’ history, inking for $67 million across three years. He pitched 182 innings for the New York Mets last year, finishing with a 3.91 ERA and 161 whiffs.
Gilbert is my pick to win the Cy Young and my favorite strikeout leader odds bet entering 2025. He struck out 220 batters in 208 2/3 innings last year, finishing sixth in Cy Young voting with a 3.23 ERA.
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