Yankees and Mariners Open 2026 Season

Longtime rivals face off in highly anticipated MLB Opening Day matchup

Mar. 31, 2026 at 1:43am by Ben Kaplan

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a baseball game in progress, with the players and field broken down into overlapping planes of navy, green, and white shapes.The opening day clash between the Yankees and Mariners promises to be a hard-fought, high-energy battle between two of MLB's top contenders.San Francisco Today

The New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners kicked off the 2026 Major League Baseball season with a highly anticipated matchup at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. Yankees captain Aaron Judge was spotted taking batting practice earlier in the day at Oracle Park in San Francisco before the team traveled to the Pacific Northwest for the season opener.

Why it matters

The Yankees and Mariners are two of the most storied franchises in MLB, with a long history of intense rivalries and playoff battles. This early-season clash between the two clubs is sure to draw national attention and set the tone for the rest of the season.

The details

The Yankees are led by veteran slugger Aaron Judge, who is looking to build on his MVP-caliber 2025 campaign. The Mariners, meanwhile, have assembled a talented young core and are hoping to end their playoff drought this season. Both teams have high expectations and will be looking to get off to a strong start in this marquee Opening Day showdown.

  • The 2026 MLB season officially kicked off on March 31, 2026.
  • The Yankees and Mariners are set to face off at 7:10 PM local time (10:10 PM EST) on Opening Day.

The players

Aaron Judge

The longtime captain and star outfielder of the New York Yankees, who is coming off an MVP-caliber 2025 season.

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What they’re saying

“We're excited to get the season started and see how our team stacks up against one of the best in the league. It's going to be a great atmosphere at T-Mobile Park tonight.”

— Aaron Judge, Yankees Captain

What’s next

The Yankees and Mariners will play a three-game series to open the 2026 season, with the next two games scheduled for April 1 and April 2 at T-Mobile Park.

The takeaway

This highly anticipated Opening Day matchup between the Yankees and Mariners sets the stage for what is sure to be an exciting and competitive 2026 MLB season, with two of the league's premier franchises battling it out from the very start.