2025 MLB season starts March 27 with fantasy implications

The 2025 MLB season starts on Thursday, March 27. This kicks off "Week 1" of fantasy baseball, which runs until March 30. The first two games of the season were played in Japan between the Chicago Cubs and the Los Angeles Dodgers. For fantasy baseball managers, it's important to set your lineups correctly. Lineups will lock at the start time of each player’s game. If you haven’t drafted yet, remember that players get locked into the roster spots where you select them. Any statistics from games played before your draft will be added to your team retroactively. Players from the Cubs and Dodgers, who played in the Tokyo Series, are already locked into their spots for managers in leagues with weekly transactions. However, you can still make changes for players on the other 28 teams until their games start this week. Weather could be an issue early in the season, especially in cities like Chicago and New York, where temperatures can be low. Some teams have off days scheduled on Friday to deal with potential postponements. Most teams have named their Opening Day starters, but the rotation beyond that is still uncertain. Updates to pitcher rankings are expected before the season begins. Some notable pitchers will not be available during the opening weekend due to scheduling or health issues. Overall, it’s a busy and exciting time for fantasy baseball as teams prepare for the new season.