MLB Starting Lineups for Thursday, Pitching Matchups & Players to Watch | 1 May 2025

As the month of May begins, MLB teams are at that point in the season, where initial trends start to become more established. Thursday's schedule features 11 games, including several intriguing pitching matchups and key players to watch.

In the League, the Oakland Athletics will play against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Jeffrey Springs (3-3, 6.04 ERA) is set to start for the Athletics, while Tyler Mahle (3-0, 1.14 ERA) will take the mound for the Rangers.

In the National League, the Washington Nationals will face off Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Brad Lord (0–3, 4.67 ERA) will start for the Nationals against Taijuan Walker (1–2, 2.78 ERA) of the Phillies.

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Chicago Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

Chicago Cubs (Away Team): Confirmed Lineup

LF Ian Happ

RF Kyle Tucker

DH Seiya Suzuki

1B Michael Busch

2B Nico Hoerner

CF Pete Crow-Armstrong

C Miguel Amaya

SS Dansby Swanson

3B Nicky Lopez

SP: Colin Rea

Pittsburgh Pirates (Home Team): Confirmed Lineup

CF Oneil Cruz

RF Bryan Reynolds

DH Andrew McCutchen

1B Edward Olivares

3B Ke'Bryan Hayes

LF Alexander Canario

2B Adam Frazier

SS Jared Triolo

C Henry Davis

SP: Paul Skenes

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St. Louis Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Reds

St. Louis Cardinals (Away Team): Confirmed Lineup

LF Lars Nootbaar

SS Masyn Winn

2B Brendan Donovan

3B Nolan Arenado

1B Willson Contreras

DH Luken Baker

RF Jordan Walker

C Yohel Pozo

CF Jose Barrero

SP: Matthew Liberatore

Cincinnati Reds (Home Team): Confirmed Lineup

CF TJ Friedl

2B Matt McLain

SS Elly De La Cruz

3B Noelvi Marte

LF Santiago Espinal

1B Spencer Steer

DH Gavin Lux

C Jose Trevino

RF Blake Dunn

SP: Andrew Abbott

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Minnesota Twins vs. Cleveland Guardians

Minnesota Twins (Away Team): Confirmed Lineup

2B Edouard Julien

SS Carlos Correa

CF Byron Buxton

DH Trevor Larnach

1B Ty France

3B Brooks Lee

LF Harrison Bader

RF Kody Clemens

C Christian Vazquez

SP: Simeon Woods Richardson

Cleveland Guardians (Home Team): Confirmed Lineup

LF Steven Kwan

2B Gabriel Arias

DH Jose Ramirez

1B Kyle Manzardo

RF Jhonkensy Noel

CF Daniel Schneemann

3B Will Wilson

SS Brayan Rocchio

C Austin Hedges

SP: Ben Lively

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Arizona Diamondbacks vs. New York Mets

Arizona Diamondbacks (Away Team):

RF Corbin Carroll

SS Geraldo Perdomo

DH Pavin Smith

1B Josh Naylor

LF Lourdes Gurriel

3B Eugenio Suarez

C Gabriel Moreno

CF Alek Thomas

2B Tim Tawa

SP: Zac Gallen

New York Mets (Home Team):

SS Francisco Lindor

RF Juan Soto

1B Pete Alonso

DH Jesse Winker

3B Mark Vientos

LF Brandon Nimmo

C Francisco Alvarez

CF Jeff McNeil

2B Luisangel Acuña

SP: Kodai Senga

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Kansas City Royals vs. Tampa Bay Rays

Kansas City Royals (Away Team):

3B Jonathan India

SS Bobby Witt

1B Vinnie Pasquantino

C Salvador Perez

2B Maikel Garcia

DH Michael Massey

RF Hunter Renfroe

LF Drew Waters

CF Kyle Isbel

SP: Seth Lugo

Tampa Bay Rays (Home Team):

CF Chandler Simpson

2B Brandon Lowe

DH Yandy Diaz

1B Jonathan Aranda

3B Junior Caminero

RF Kameron Misner

LF Christopher Morel

SS Taylor Walls

C Danny Jansen

SP: Shane Baz

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Milwaukee Brewers vs. Chicago White Sox

Milwaukee Brewers (Away Team):

2B Brice Turang

LF Jackson Chourio

DH Christian Yelich

C William Contreras

CF Sal Frelick

1B Rhys Hoskins

RF Jake Bauers

SS Joey Ortiz

3B Caleb Durbin

SP: Chad Patrick

Chicago White Sox (Home Team):

RF J. Palacios

CF Luis Robert

LF Andrew Benintendi

DH Edgar Quero

1B Andrew Vaughn

C Matt Thaiss

2B Lenyn Sosa

SS Brooks Baldwin

3B Michael Vargas

SP: Sean Burke

Oakland Athletics vs. Texas Rangers

Oakland Athletics (Away Team):

RF Lawrence Butler

SS Jacob Wilson

LF Tyler Soderstrom

DH Brent Rooker

C Shea Langeliers

1B Nick Kurtz

2B Luis Urias

CF JJ Bleday

3B Gio Urshela

SP: Jeffrey Springs

Texas Rangers (Home Team):

CF Kevin Pillar

C Kyle Higashioka

LF Wyatt Langford

DH Jonah Heim

2B Marcus Semien

3B Josh Jung

RF Adolis Garcia

1B Jake Burger

SS Nick Ahmed

SP: Tyler Mahle

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Washington Nationals vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Washington Nationals (Away Team):

SS CJ Abrams

LF James Wood

2B Luis Garcia

1B Nathaniel Lowe

DH Josh Bell

C Keibert Ruiz

RF Dylan Crews

3B Jose Tena

CF Jacob Young

SP: Brad Lord

Philadelphia Phillies (Home Team):

2B Bryson Stott

SS Trea Turner

1B Bryce Harper

DH Kyle Schwarber

RF Nick Castellanos

LF Max Kepler

C J.T. Realmuto

3B Alec Bohm

CF Johan Rojas

SP: Taijuan Walker

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Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays

Boston Red Sox (Away Team):

LF Jarren Duran

DH Rafael Devers

3B Alex Bregman

SS Trevor Story

RF Wilyer Abreu

2B Kody Campbell

1B Triston Casas

CF Ceddanne Rafaela

C Omar Narvaez

SP: Tanner Houck

Toronto Blue Jays (Home Team):

SS Bo Bichette

1B Vladimir Guerrero

DH Anthony Santander

2B Andres Gimenez

RF George Springer

C Alejandro Kirk

CF Daulton Varsho

3B Ernie Clement

LF Alan Roden

SP: Jose Berrios

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Detroit Tigers vs. Los Angeles Angels

Detroit Tigers (Away Team):

DH Kerry Carpenter

2B Gleyber Torres

RF Zach McKinstry

LF Riley Greene

1B Spencer Torkelson

3B Jace Jung

SS Trey Sweeney

C Dillon Dingler

CF Javier Baez

SP: Casey Mize

Los Angeles Angels (Home Team):

SS Zach Neto

1B Nolan Schanuel

RF Mike Trout

LF Taylor Ward

DH Jorge Soler

C Logan O'Hoppe

3B Luis Rengifo

CF Jo Adell

2B Kyren Paris

SP: Yusei Kikuchi

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Colorado Rockies vs. San Francisco Giants

Colorado Rockies (Away Team):

CF Brenton Doyle

LF Jordan Beck

3B Ryan McMahon

C Hunter Goodman

1B Michael Toglia

RF Mickey Moniak

2B Adael Amador

DH Nick Martini

SS Alan Trejo

SP: Kyle Freeland

San Francisco Giants (Home Team):

LF Heliot Ramos

SS Willy Adames

CF Jung Hoo Lee

3B Matt Chapman

DH Wilmer Flores

RF Luis Matos

1B David Villar

C Patrick Bailey

2B Tyler Fitzgerald

SP: Justin Verlander