Phillies players excited for home opener at Citizens Bank Park: ‘It’s good for us to have butterflies’
The pageantry of Opening Day or the first home game of a season is one of the unique parts of baseball, and the Phillies are ready for the ceremonies to start. Philadelphia will host the Colorado Rockies on Monday afternoon for its home opener at Citizens Bank Park, one of the circled holidays on the sports calendar.
“Love the home openers, man,” pitcher Aaron Nola said before the game. “They’re fun. It’s good to get back in our home stadium and back in our houses and just back in our clubhouse, or just be back home. It’s always good to obviously start Opening Day here. But I mean, it was a quick road trip to start up the season, and it’s nice to get back home.”
The Phillies (2-1) start their home schedule on a positive note after taking a series victory in Washington to start the year. At 54-27, the team had the best home record in Major League Baseball in 2024. Success in South Philadelphia has fueled a large part of the last three seasons for the Phillies, and it will likely be crucial once again for a team with World Series aspirations. The team is ready to get back out there in front of the home crowd to start it all once again.
“Being in front of our home fans is always extra special,” manager Rob Thomson said.
Ahead of the 3:05 p.m. first pitch, every Phillies player and coach will walk through the crowd on Ashburn Alley, head down the stairs in left-center field and take the field on a red carpet. Each of their name names will be announced. While Citizens Bank Park is revamped with new features for 2025, this opening tradition is a staple.
“It’s an awesome feeling,” utility player Kody Clemens said. “I know it’ll be sold out today, so I’m very excited to come down those steps and walk through center field and just enjoy the view of all the fans and how excited they are for us to be here and to open the season.”
That entrance doesn’t get old for the players. Nola, now in his 11th season with the Phillies, has been through this before. He’s started on Opening Day six times, and four of those outings were at home (although there were no fans in attendance in 2020). Nola has seen it all. He’s toed the rubber for the home opener, and he’s just taken part in introductions. Either way, the right-hander still feels the anticipation of the first home game of the season.
“I feel like it’s good for us to have butterflies or a little bit of nerves,” Nola said. “I feel like it means that we still love the game, and we still get a little bit of energy out of it. I still get that in my first inning every game. That’s been with me my whole career, and I’ll probably know I’ll be done if that stops. But I still have that.”
Left-hander Cristopher Sánchez, who emerged as an All-Star last season and pitched exceptionally well at Citizens Bank Park, will get the start on Monday. The crowd will give him a loud ovation for the way he has stepped up for the Phillies over the past two years — and for the hope that he can take another leap. It will be a fun way to begin a season with high expectations for both the pitcher and the club.
“You do feel a little jolt of energy coming out from the center field. Sanchy, starting the home opener, he’ll get a little bit more jolt,” Nola said. “I’ve been there starting over here for the home opener or Opening Day. When you’re on the mound, you get a little bit more than you do running into center field. So it’s fun to start a season off over here or start a home opener off over here.”
