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ST. LOUIS – Thursday will mark the first-ever Opening Day matchup against interleague foes St. Louis Cardinals and Minnesota Twins. It will also feature a head-to-head pitching battle against close friends Sonny Gray and Pablo López.
Gray and López spent one season together with the Twins in 2023, both earning All-Star selection and Cy Young votes as they helped lead Minnesota to an AL Central title.
Both pitchers have built a reputation as durable innings eaters who rely on four-seam fastballs and sweeper pitches. On Wednesday, the eve of their head-to-head matchup, they shared high praise for one another.
What to know for the St. Louis Cardinals’ 2025 Opening Day
“Sonny helped me a tremendous amount in 2023 to grow as a competitor,” said López. “I admire the way Sonny competes, the way he approaches every game knowing that he sees stuff. He’s going to attack you with what he has. Sonny’s a tremendous player.”
“I loved my time with Pablo,” said Gray. “I loved my time in Minnesota. They treated me and my family very well. My two years there, we were a successful team. Me and Pablo learned a lot from each other.”
Now opponents, one thing they still share in common is that Thursday will be their first Opening Day starts at Busch Stadium.
“You definitely don’t take them for granted,” said Gray. “It’s just like the start of another year. You never know how much you’re going to grow, how much you’re going to learn, or the ups and downs you’re going to go through over the course of a year. It’s a fresh start for everyone. I’m excited to start the season.”
López echoed the excitement, also sharing his appreciation for Busch Stadium and its history.
“It’s a beautiful ballpark,” said López. “Being at spring training for awhile, when you step out of the dugout, you forget how big major league ballparks are. This one is very unique and beautiful. The Arch makes it so cool. It’s such a cool place to be. It has tradition. It’s such a baseball town.”
López also told FOX 2 that he wanted to visit the Arch on his last trip to St. Louis. though all times were both. He also acknowledged the stadium’s tributes to the 1985 and 1987 Cardinals’ World Series teams.
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SIGN UP NOW“I see there are going to be a lot of legends here,” said López. “I’m going to be warming up, but I’m also going to be paying attention and soaking in all the Opening Day ceremonies.”
Gray went 13-9 with a 3.84 ERA over 166.1 innings last season, while López went 15-10 with a 4.08 ERA over 185.1 innings. Both navigated some rough patches in spring training, but they have the potential to lock in and set the stage for a pitcher’s duel to open the regular season.
First pitch for Opening Day between the Cardinals and Twins is set for 3:15 p.m. from Busch Stadium.
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