At long last, Opening Day is finally here for the 2025 MLB season. 30 teams are set to take the field for the first time on Thursday, beginning a grueling 162-game marathon. Before the start of today’s festivities, here are three MLB bets worth placing on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Pittsburgh Pirates -1.5 (+124)
For possibly the first time ever, all eyes will be on Pirates vs. Marlins. Pittsburgh will send reigning NL Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes to the mound. Miami will counter with former NL Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara, making his first start in over a year. While the Buccos have the pitching edge, this is a fairly even matchup.
What separates these squads is their hitting. The Pirates aren’t world-beaters on offense, but they brought in decent bats such as Spencer Horowitz and Tommy Pham. Miami didn’t add any notable bats, trading away slugger Jake Burger while losing second baseman Connor Norby (oblique) to injury. Pittsburgh dominated this matchup last season, winning all seven meetings between the two clubs. There’s no reason to expect anything different this afternoon with one of baseball’s best pitchers toeing the rubber.
San Francisco Giants ML (-110)
Speaking of aces, Logan Webb has been sneaky-solid throughout his entire career. The pitcher has recorded a 3.18 ERA, 2.99 FIP and 1.14 WHIP over four full seasons with the Giants. That level of consistency is matched by only a handful of starters across the league. It’s a different story for the Reds, who will hand the ball to the talented, but erratic, Hunter Greene. The right-hander is almost unstoppable…if he has his control. On a cold day in Cincinnati, that might be wishful thinking.
Webb has enjoyed plenty of success against the Reds, notching a 1.64 ERA and 30 strikeouts over six starts. He’ll be supported by a new-look Giants lineup led by All-Star shortstop Willy Adames. The Reds had a fairly quiet offseason in comparison, trading for infielder Gavin Lux and catcher Jose Trevino. Given all the uncertainty that surrounds Opening Day, San Francisco appears to be the safer bet in this contest.
Minnesota Twins -1.5 (+145)
It was a quiet offseason for both the Twins and Cardinals. Minnesota paid a total of just over $10 million on major league talent, headlined by Harrison Bader. St. Louis spent most of the winter trying, and failing, to trade veteran third baseman Nolan Arenado. Add it all up, and you have two middling teams that aren’t generating much buzz.
If there’s a positive for the Twins, perpetually-injured stars Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa will be in the lineup. They’ll face Sonny Gray, the de-facto ace of an otherwise mediocre Cardinals rotation. The veteran looked rough in spring training, getting knocked around to a 12.56 ERA over four appearances. Grapefruit League numbers can be deceiving, but seeing your #1 starter shelled for an entire month isn’t ideal. Minnesota will have the clear edge on the mound, with workhorse Pablo Lopez getting the start. Given their clear talent advantage, expect a comfortable win for the visitors in this one.
