Major League Baseball

MLB Opening Day 2021: Top Moments

Updated Apr. 3, 2021 6:04 p.m. ET

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Cue "Take me out to the ballgame."

While FOX Sports isn't quite able to do that, we are able to deliver the top sights and sounds from MLB Opening Day across the country.

Unfortunately, the season started on a low note with the postponement of one of the evening's showcase games due to COVID-19.

In addition, the rain is playing spoiler in Beantown.

However, there were still 13 games to carry us through the day. 

Here are the top moments from MLB's opening day.

For more up-to-date news on all things MLB, click here to register for alerts on the FOX Sports app!

Welcome back!

San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey hadn't had an MLB at-bat since 2019. He made up for lost time in his first at-bat of the 2021 season.

Wait for it ...

The Mariners rallied with a huge eighth inning, then beat the Giants with a bases-loaded walk in the 10th.

The natural

No big deal. Just Mike Trout doing Mike Trout things.

No love lost

It's safe to say the Oakland Athletics home fans are not fond of the Houston Astros.

Clinical

For anybody who is interested in what elite fielding looks like, look no further than Chad Pinder in right field for the Athletics.

Tradition

The third time is a charm for Michael Brantley, who has hit a home run in three consecutive Opening Day games.

Glove work

José Iglesias would not let the night end without giving us a web gem to remember.

Wardrobe malfunction

Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert scored the first run of the game, but at what cost?

Snow joke

Come for the homer, stay for the slide.

Miguel Cabrera treated us to the first home run of the season, but he apparently didn't think he got all of it. The 19-year MLB vet played it safe and slid into second as his long shot got lost amid the snow.

Wait, snow?

That's right! The dog days of summer are still a ways away, as the snowy weather in Detroit reminded us. 

That surreal scene demands another look.

What just happened?

The Los Angeles Dodgers started their World Series defense with some wackiness, courtesy of Cody Bellinger and Justin Turner.

The ball went over the wall with a man on base, but Bellinger was ruled out because he passed the baserunner in front of him. Bellinger is credited with an RBI single. Make sense?

Too smooth

The Colorado Rockies are making it look too easy against the defending champions in their opener, as evidenced by this effortless double play.

Opening day walk-off

It might only be Opening Day, but there was high drama in Philadelphia.

After thwarting Atlanta Braves left fielder Ronald Acuña Jr.'s attempt at a game-winning run in the top of the 10th inning, the Philadelphia Phillies won the game on a walk-off RBI single from Jean Segura in the bottom of the 10th with two outs.

Byron says "bye-bye"

Talk about a no-doubter. Byron Buxton feasted on this pitch for a two-run home run that traveled 456 feet.

Panda pop

Pablo Sandoval came up clutch in a pinch, literally, for the Atlanta Braves, hitting a game-tying two-run shot against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Rookie of the Year?

Pittsburgh Pirates fans are well aware of Ke'Bryan Hayes, but the rookie introduced himself to the rest of the league with a home run in his first at-bat of the season against the Chicago Cubs.

Hayes played in 17 games for the Buccos last season but is eligible for any rookie honors that might be coming his way. According to FOX Bet, he's the favorite to win the NL Rookie of the Year award at +425 (a $10 bet would return $42.50, plus your initial $10). 

If he keeps depositing the ball in the seats, those odds are sure to change.

Another contender

Not to be outdone by Hayes, St. Louis Cardinals rookie Dylan Carlson ran into one against the Cincinnati Reds.

Fans of MLB on FOX voted during the offseason and picked Carlson to win the NL Rookie of the Year award. Not a bad start for their pick!

Laying out

Luis Urias made an early impression with his new team, the Milwaukee Brewers, diving to his right to rob a hit in the first at-bat of the season for the Minnesota Twins.

Check out Luis Arraez's reaction to the play. Tough break for Minny's second baseman!

Just for kicks

Bryce Harper made a fashion statement with his pregame cleats for the Philadelphia Phillies' game against the Atlanta Braves.

Surely, some mascot in The City of Brotherly Love is a big phan of those duds.

Gary goes yard

The New York Yankees erased an early 1-0 deficit against the Blue Jays with a two-run shot from Gary Sanchez.

With 115 home runs in 421 games coming into this season, power has never been a problem for the Yankees catcher.

However, he'll be hoping that he can avoid a season like 2020, when he hit just .147 in 156 at-bats.

#PitchersWhoRake

Madison Bumgarner is a perfect piece of evidence for fans who despise the designated hitter.

He didn't get it over the wall, but the Arizona Diamondbacks ace did flex some warning-track power.

Goin' back-to-back

It wasn't all good for Mad Bum on Opening Day.

As nice as his warning-track power was, the San Diego Padres showed bleacher power on back-to-back homers from Eric Hosmer and Wil Myers.

Pregame platter

If you're getting antsy before the first pitch of your game, head over to FOX Sports Baseball Analyst Ben Verlander's season predictions, complete with analysis regarding division races, playoff picks and award winners.

For a behind-the-scenes look at what Opening Day means for a player, check out Verlander's breakdown of what it's like, from waking up to first pitch. 

For those looking for a little added interest, Verlander and FOX Sports Betting Analyst Sam Panayotovich did a deep dive on the season's top wagers on a special edition of "Talk The Line."

The blue Blue Jays

Powder blue jerseys are always the business. 

The Los Angeles Chargers have a legendary powder blue, the Los Angeles Lakers do blue well, and now, so do the Toronto Blue Jays. 

It looks like the Philadelphia Phillies and their blue color scheme have some competition for "sickest jersey in the game."

The dive, the grab and the out

OK, here is a highlight from that Blue Jays game. Thanks for taking our attention away from those powder blues with this diving stop, Marcus Semien.

Kidding. We're still into the jerseys.

That's how you feel?

Gerrit Cole who?

Teoscar Hernandez took the Yankees' ace deep in the top of the sixth inning to tie the game 2-2.

He's still got it

One game in, and we're talking Golden Glove for Miggy in Detroit. 

Plays such as this will help him live down that whole snow thing.

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