MLB Opening Day brings two star-studded baseball games to Gulf Coast NBC

FORT MYERS, Fla. —

The MLB regular season has arrived, and Gulf Coast NBC will air two exciting Opening Day matchups on Thursday.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs New York Mets, 1 p.m

The first of the matchups will feature two ace pitchers as Freddy Paralta will take the mound for the Mets, while Paul Skenes will start off the season for the Pirates.

Skenes, the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year and 2025 NL Cy Young Award winner, set a franchise record with 216 strikeouts in the 2025-26 season. He'll look to continue the elite start he's had to his career, boasting a 1.96 career ERA.

The Pirates also feature the star power of left fielder Bryan Reynolds and center fielder Oneil Cruz.

The Mets, on the other hand, will look to bounce back from a disappointing season where the team just missed the cut for the playoffs.

The Mets roster features a plethora of superstar talent, with Juan Soto in left field, Francisco Lindor at shortstop, and the newly-acquired Bo Bichette at third base.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs Los Angeles Dodgers, 8 p.m.

The Dodgers will begin their quest for a third straight World Series title on Thursday, while the Diamondbacks will look to spoil Los Angeles' night.

The Dodgers are headed by the highest-paid player in the MLB, pitcher and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani.

The two-way threat has countless accolades to his name and has won the MVP award four times in his storied career.

Outside of Ohtani, the Dodgers are brimming with talent, including first baseman Freddie Freeman, shortstop Mookie Betts, and left fielder Teoscar Hernández.

The Diamondbacks feature the talents of Ketel Marte at second base, Nolan Arenado at third and Corbin Carroll in right field.

The Dodgers and Diamondbacks will look to close out an exciting Opening Day slate with an electric game.

Be sure not to miss any of the exciting baseball action, airing live on Gulf Coast NBC.

DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.