Opening Day 2026: Six rookies seize the spotlight in MLB debuts
Opening Day 2026 spotlighted six rookies who made immediate impact: Mets' Carson Benge recorded his first MLB hit and home run in the sixth after an eight-pitch walk; Cardinals' JJ Wetherholt homered and later drove in a run on a bases-loaded sac fly; White Sox's Munetaka Murakami slugged his first MLB homer in his debut; Phillies' Justin Crawford collected two hits in his first big-league game; Tigers' Kevin McGonigle posted four hits, becoming the fourth-youngest player since 1900 to debut with four hits; Guardians' Chase DeLauter doubled his impact with a first-inning homer for his first hit and added another later in the game. These performances highlighted a deep, promising influx of rookies across several teams on a memorable Opening Day.
