Padres fans hit Petco Park for MLB Opening Day
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The Friar Faithful will pack Petco Park on Opening Day. Photo: K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images
Padres fans rejoice, baseball is back in San Diego starting Thursday.
Why it matters: Opening Day is a citywide party that kick-starts the Padres' quest for a third straight MLB playoff run.
Thousands of fans will ditch work and school to catch Thursday's game at Petco Park. First pitch against the Detroit Tigers is at 1:10pm, and gates open at 11am.
- Pitcher Nick Pivetta is getting his first Opening Day start, while Michael King takes the mound Friday and Randy Vásquez starts on Saturday.
- This is new manager Craig Stammen's first game at the helm outside of spring training, and expectations are also high for star player Fernando Tatis Jr. to stay hot at the plate.
How to watch: You can still get tickets for seats inside the stadium and at Gallagher Square.
- Find the game on Padres.TV or at a local bar.
Flashback: The Padres came out hot last season, with a record-setting win streak at home and one of the best starts in franchise history.
- The team led the NL West deep into summer, but finished second behind the L.A. Dodgers.
- The promising 2025 season was cut short when the Padres lost to the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card series. But we have faith this year's squad will deliver another exciting one.
MTS is increasing service on the Trolley before and after games throughout opening weekend, a smart option considering heavy traffic and surge-pricing for parking on game days.
- Enjoy $5 drinks and live music at Party in the Park ahead of Friday's home game.
- The family-friendly free East Village Opening Weekend Block Party takes over J Street outside the ballpark from 11am to 4:30pm on Saturday with a car show, live music and food vendors.
Pro tip: Plan to stay for the fireworks show if you go to Saturday's game.
The Friar Faithful will be able to get their hands on the team's new City Connect jerseys next month. The team teased the new design with a Día de los Muertos video.
Best bites: Foodies can indulge in Petco Park's new food items from local restaurants, including Japanese curry, chicken pot pie, s'mores pretzels and Caprese and braised short rib sandwiches.
- But enjoying a Friar Frank and eating soft-serve out of a mini helmet are still elite game-day experiences.
🍻 Stone Brewing will pour beers in its newly renovated tap room, on the Upper Level near Section 309, with scenic views of downtown and Coronado.
What we're watching: The Seidler Family, which has held ownership in the Padres since 2012, has been working to sell the team and settle a legal battle over control of the franchise.
- With four prospective buyers, the franchise could be sold by April and at a MLB-record breaking price of more than $3 billion, per the Union-Tribune.
- Petco Park and the city of San Diego are physically and financially involved in the transaction, even if the new owners want to move the team, per the U-T.
The bottom line: The Padres are poised to make history in the front office this season. Here's hoping that carries over onto the field.