Colorado Rockies Opening Day: What to know, how to watch first game against Tampa Bay Rays
Chris Abshire
Spring has arrived and that means baseball is back.
Major League Baseball Opening Day 2025 is Thursday, March 27, but it won't be Opening Day just yet for the Colorado Rockies.
Colorado is one of just two MLB teams not in action on Thursday, opening the season instead on Friday at the Tampa Bay Rays in the first of a three-game series.
Here's what to know as the Rockies kick off the 2025 season:
When is the Rockies' Opening Day game?
Colorado will start the 2025 season on Friday, March 28 on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays.
First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET/2:10 p.m. MT.
Why aren't the Rockies playing on MLB Opening Day?
The Rays-Rockies opener was pushed back a day to give Tampa Bay an extra day to adapt Steinbrenner Field (the New York Yankees' Spring Training stadium) for major league regular-season play.
Steinbrenner Field will be the Rays' home diamond this season after Hurricane Milton caused major damage to Tropicana Field in October 2024.
How to watch, follow Colorado Rockies on Opening Day
Major League Baseball will handle the production and distribution of all local Colorado Rockies games during the 2025 season.
Fans in Colorado can watch the Rockies via traditional cable on these networks:
- Xfinity/Comcast: channel 1262
- DIRECTV/STREAM: channel 683
- Spectrum: Most of Colorado and Wyoming (130 or 445); Gunnison and Telluride (305 or 445)
- TDS Colorado: Arvada (Channel 28 or 592); Cortez (23/123); Estes Park (30/130); Fort Carson (73/173); Fort Collins (28/592); Woodland Park (27/592)
Fans can also watch the Rockies-Rays opener and the Rockies all season long with a ROCKIES.TV subscription.
The game can be streamed on MLB.TV and ROCKIES.TV, with a yearly package costing $99.99 and a monthly package going for $19.99. A free trial is available.
Rockies games will also be available on Fubo, which also has a free trial period.
Want to listen on the radio? Rockies games will air in the Fort Collins market on KFKA 101.1 FM/1310 AM and in the Denver market on KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM.
The full list of the Rockies' radio affiliates throughout Colorado can be found here: mlb.com/rockies/schedule/radio-affiliates.
Rockies-Rays Opening Day starting pitchers
Colorado native Kyle Freeland will likely be getting the ball as the Rockies' Opening Day starter for the fourth time since 2019 and second straight season.
- Colorado Rockies probable starting pitcher: Kyle Freeland (Last year: 5-8, 5.24 ERA, 85 Ks, 26 BBs in 340 IP)
- Tampa Bay Rays probable starting pitcher: Ryan Pepiot (Last year: 8-8, 3.60 ERA, 142 Ks, 48 BBs in 390 IP)
Colorado Rockies 2025 Opening Day Roster
Here is the Rockies' 26-man roster to start the 2025 MLB season:
- Catchers: Jacob Stallings, Hunter Goodman
- Infielders: Michael Toglia, Kyle Farmer, Tyler Freeman, Ryan McMahon, Ezequiel Tovar, Kris Bryant (DH/OF)
- Outfielders: Brenton Doyle, Jordan Beck, Nick Martini, Sean Bouchard, Sam Hilliard
- Starting pitchers: Kyle Freeland, Ryan Feltner, German Márquez, Antonio Senzatela
- Relief pitchers: Seth Halvorsen, Tyler Kinley, Victor Vodnik, Scott Alexander, Luis Peralta, Angel Chivilli, Jake Bird, Jimmy Herget, Bradley Blalock
When is the Rockies 2025 home opener?
Colorado baseball fans will have to wait just over a week for Opening Day at Coors Field.
The Rockies' 2025 home opener is set for Friday, April 4 against the Athletics. First pitch is slated for 2:10 p.m. MT.
Colorado Rockies' March/April schedule
Here is the Rockies' schedule for the early portion of the 2025 MLB season:
- March 28-30: at Tampa Bay Rays
- March 31-April 2: at Philadelphia Phillies
- April 4-6: vs. Athletics
- April 8-10: vs. Milwaukee Brewers
- April 11-13: at San Diego Padres
- April 14-16: at Los Angeles Dodgers
- April 18-20: vs. Washington Nationals
- April 22-24: at Kansas City Royals
- April 25-27: vs. Cincinnati Reds
- April 28-30: vs. Atlanta Braves