Padres name surprise 2025 Opening Day starter vs. Braves

In a bit of a shock, the San Diego Padres are electing for a different route on the mound to begin the season. Since 2021, Yu Darvish has been the Opening Day starter, and deservingly so, with former Friar Blake Snell taking the hill game one in 2023.

This year, however, there has been a three-pitcher race to see who would get the ball on Opening Day. Would San Diego give it to Darvish, looking to become the first Padre to start four Opening Day games since Jake Peavy from 2006-09? Or would they give it to Dylan Cease, who finished fourth in the National League Cy Young vote in 2024?

Manager Mike Shildt and his Padres coaching staff decided against both of these arms. Rather, they are beginning the 2025 campaign with Michael King as the Opening Day starter, who will oppose the Braves at Petco Park on March 27.

Michael King is named the 2025 Opening Day starter for the San Diego Padres

Michael King produced a career-altering season in 2024, which was his first as a full-time starter. It was also his inaugural season with the Padres, and he did not disappoint, firing 201 strikeouts and a 2.95 ERA across 30 starts.

Currently, Shildt has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to rostering ace-like starters. Cease and King have both headlined the trading rumor block the last few months, but going into the season as it stands, the Padres have a very strong staff. So, Shildt honestly couldn't go wrong with choosing any of these three pitchers.

Darvish, on one hand, is experiencing some fatigue, so that may have had an impact on his preparedness to pitch a full game by Opening Day. Cease, on the other hand, hasn't been truly dominant in the spring. He's dealt with some command issues, and although no one should be worried by his production in spring training, this could have also made Shildt's decision to start King a bit easier.

King hasn't been much better than Cease this spring, allowing six runs in 8 2/3 innings with seven walks. Clearly, he's done something right, though to stick out above the rest of the pack to start his first Opening Day in eighth season. HIs last outing came on March 15 against the Seattle Mariners. He surrendered three runs in four innings, striking out five Mariner batters.