Padres fans rejoice, baseball is back in San Diego starting today.

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 the 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 on Saturday with a car show, live music and food vendors.

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, the U-T reports.

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.

Share with a fan

Fans and foodies who want to indulge in more than a Friar Frank can try new food vendors and menu items at the ballpark this season.

🍛 Get Japanese-style curry rice, buns and cheese fries from Curry House Coco Ichibanya, an international chain that's also on Convoy. Find it in the Mercado near Section 104.

🥧 Local favorite Pop Pie Co. is serving up its savory chicken pies near Section 129.

🌭 Try "The Shortstop" — braised beef short rib, Boursin aioli and au jus served on a French roll with chips — or a chili cheese dog in Section 100 near the Home Plate Gate.

🥨 Padres Pretzels are debuting on the Terrace Level at section 206, offering braided pretzels in Buffalo honey mustard, salted with mustard and s'mores flavors, plus pretzel bites.

🍻 Stone Brewing is pouring beers in its renovated tap room on the Upper Level near Section 309, with views of downtown and Coronado.

🥪 Gelati & Peccati added mortadella and caprese sandwiches to the menu this year, per the Union-Tribune.

🍦 Kate's thought bubble: Eating soft-serve out of a mini helmet is still my favorite baseball game treat.

Tell a foodie

💩 A leak spewing 18,000 gallons of sewage near the intersection of Friars Road and Old Sea World Drive closed Ocean Beach Dog Beach and stopped traffic on Wednesday. Check here to see when it's safe to swim. (Fox5)

👵🏼 More than a million seniors could be living San Diego County by 2040 — a population boom that could strain health care and social services resources. (CBS8)

💸 The county has cancelled 29 contracts for local behavioral health projects and programs to meet the state's new criteria for funding that takes effect in July. (Voice of San Diego)

🍽️ No new local restaurants were added to Michelin Guide's latest recommendations for California. (Union-Tribune)

Major League Baseball is debuting the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System to reduce missed calls on balls and strikes this season.

Why it matters: It aims to improve fairness on borderline judgements, especially in critical situations.

How it works: Each team starts with two challenges at the beginning of each game.

• If it succeeds, meaning the umpire's decision is overturned, the team keeps that challenge — if it fails, it's lost.
• If a game goes to extra innings, teams without any challenges will receive one extra.

Caveat: Managers cannot initiate a review — only the batter, pitcher or catcher can do so by tapping their helmet or cap immediately after the call.

How it went during Spring Training

Padres players will wear a No. 35 memorial patch on their jerseys this season to honor legendary pitcher Randy Jones, who died in November.

"To the Faithful, Randy Jones was a workhorse who helped put the Padres on the map, the team's first true superstar and a Cy Young Award winner, " the team posted with a video tribute on X.

Jones, a homegrown talent known for his sinker, played for the Padres from 1973 to 1980 and was one of the best pitchers in the MLB.

• The Padres retired his No. 35 jersey in 1997, and it's still on display at Petco Park's Home Plate Gate.
• He continued to build his legacy in San Diego, serving as a club ambassador, coaching rising Padres star Joe Musgrove and working on broadcasts and at a food vendor at the Padres' stadiums, per the Union-Tribune.
• The community honored that legacy with a celebration of life at Petco Park in January, and his presence will continue to be felt at Padres games this season.