Orioles set Opening Day record with six home runs in 12-2 beating of Blue Jays (updated)

TORONTO – The Orioles’ first game of the 2025 season concluded with a celebratory handshake line. They won’t be satisfied until the final out creates bedlam.

This was a thunderous start.

They scored six times in the first four innings today against tormentor José Berríos, including Tyler O’Neill’s sixth straight Opening Day home run, and Zach Eflin held the Blue Jays to two hits in six innings in a 12-2 victory at Rogers Centre.

Adley Rutschman and Cedric Mullins also homered by the fourth, Mullins belted a three-run shot in the seventh, Rutschman launched a two-run shot in the eighth, Jordan Westburg came up next and cleared the left field wall, and the Orioles improved to 22-9 on Opening Day since 1995, the best record in baseball.

The team’s six homers on Opening Day broke the record of four set in 1982 and 2006. They hadn’t homered six times in any game since July 9, 2023.

"You have to go back to it’s one of 162, but I think that we showed the type of offense that we can be," said manager Brandon Hyde.

“I think it’s gratifying any time you put up 12 runs on the scoreboard," Eflin said. "Everybody knows what this team is capable of. Just to be able to harness that and be able to try to do that as much as possible. When you see 12 runs, you also see grinding out the ABs, getting on base, finding a way, moving a guy over, pulling for each other. It’s what this team does, and it’s really fun to be a part of.”

Eflin retired the first 10 batters before walking Vladimir Guerrero Jr., but the power display slid him into a secondary role.

Rutschman hit the season’s first home run with one out in the first inning, launching a changeup from Berríos 436 feet to right field at 105.8 mph off the bat. Rutschman improved to 15-for-24 with four homers lifetime against Berríos after his single in the third.

Why should Ryan Mountcastle have all the Toronto fun?

"The way he swung the bat in spring training, it looked as locked in as I’ve seen him," Hyde said. "He was really excited for this game to start today. He was like a little kid in the clubhouse and during batting practice. I think he’s playing so motivated right now and awesome to see him get off to a really good start."

Rutschman improved to 10-for-14 with three home runs, nine RBIs and two walks on Opening Day after his single and second homer that reached the second deck in right. He went 5-for-5 two years ago in Boston.

“Definitely some nerves rolling around today, but I think just more of an appreciation for Opening Day, and just kind of enjoying the nervousness, the excitement that surrounds it," Rutschman said. "You only get so many of them and I think that was kind of my goal going into this year, into this Opening Day, is really just to try and enjoy it as much as I can. And we got such a great group and it would be a shame to not enjoy it with them.”

O’Neill, a native of British Columbia, carried two boxes of donuts from coffeehouse chain Tim Hortons into the clubhouse this morning. His popularity grew even more with his opposite-field, three-run shot in the third - a Berríos sinker leaving O’Neill’s bat at 106.1 mph.

The first four Opening Days homers came with the Cardinals, and O’Neill did it again with the Red Sox last year in Seattle to set the record. He was tied with Todd Hundley (1994-97), Gary Carter (1977-80) and Yogi Berra (1955-58).

“Oh, I mean, I saw it, everyone kind of knew,” Rutschman said, “and when he hit it, I think everyone was just going crazy because that's just such an amazing feat and awesome and he's in Canada and I think it was just so cool to see.”

"Oh, he’s great," Eflin said. "Tyler’s an awesome, awesome dude. He fits right in with the guys and had a hell of a day today. Not only offensively, but made a couple really good catches and kept us in the game. He’s going to be a lot of fun to watch and really happy that we’re going to be able to spend a full year with him."

The streak doesn’t consume O’Neill but he’s certainly aware of it. He can't pretend that it slipped his mind.

“Yeah, it’s there. It’s there for sure,” he said. “I’m just not trying to make too much of it. Just try to go out, have a good first at-bat, see what the game gives me from there. Obviously, I understand what’s going on, but not like I’m trying to go up there and do anything crazy like that.”

The overall major league mark for most Opening Day homers is eight, shared by Frank Robinson, Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn. Brooks Robinson holds the Orioles’ record with six. O’Neill has hit that many in six games to pad his record, and he can’t really explain why it keeps happening.

O’Neill led off the second with a walk in his first Orioles plate appearance, Mountcastle doubled and Mullins reached on an infield single for a 2-0 lead. Alejandro Kirk threw out Mullins attempting to steal.

Dialing down the damage, O’Neill reached on an infield hit in the fifth, singled into left field in the seventh and walked in the eighth. He’s the first Oriole to get on base in five plate appearances in his debut.

“I mean, it’s fun, right? It’s a good time and it’s a fun streak, but I don’t really think too much of it anyway," he said.

"I already have the record last year, so today was just a little cherry on top.”

The highlights included a homecoming.

"Very special. I had a great day so far, actually," he said.

"Just really solid guys swinging up and down the lineup. I’m happy to be able to contribute on my end. I’ve got family in town, so it’s fun to have everyone in person, as always. Playing in Toronto is always special for me, just being north of the border. Fans up here are great, stadium’s great. Fun to have everyone in town today.”

Berríos was 10-1 with a 2.95 ERA in 16 career starts against the Orioles, but he took a beating today and was removed after five innings and 90 pitches. He allowed six runs and nine hits.

"It’s a starting pitcher’s dream, probably everybody’s dream, to get out to an early lead and be able to go after hitters and hope they swing early and hit it right at people," Eflin said. "What a fun game to be a part of. The offense did their thing. Defense was great. Bullpen shut it down. It was just a great day.

The Jays' bullpen wasn’t any better than Berríos.

Mullins led off the fourth with a home run to right field that increased the lead to 6-0, and he greeted reliever Chad Green with another blast after the Orioles put two runners on base against Jacob Barnes.

Mullins is among four Orioles to homer twice in the opener, joining Rutschman, Brooks Robinson on April 6, 1973 and Sam Horn on April 9, 1990.

"That’s really what the mindset was going into that offseason, just really capturing what I felt like that month (in September), and really the second half in general," Mullins said. "I was able to put together a strong second half. Just held onto that mindset and that approach.”

The Orioles went back-to-back in the eighth against Yariel Rodríguez. The crowd booed as Westburg rounded the bases.

Every Oriole starter reached after Jackson Holliday singled to lead off the eighth. At 21 years and 113 days old, Holliday became the second-youngest shortstop in club history to start on Opening Day. Ron Hansen was 20 years, 10 days and 21 years, four days from 1958-59.

Former Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander jogged onto the field during introductions, turned toward his former teammates standing along the first base line and said something that drew a laugh from Hyde. The jovial mood left the Blue Jays until Eflin hung a curveball to Andrés Giménez in the fourth that resulted in a two-run homer.

That was the lone mistake by Eflin, who allowed two runs and two hits in six innings in his second consecutive Opening Day assignment.

"Let’s talk about the pitching a little bit and how good Zach Eflin was," Hyde said. "Picked up where he left off and he set the tone for us on the mound. We took really good at-bats early in the game, we ran into a couple outs, but for the most part Ef got us in the dugout quickly the way he did it for us last year.

"So consistent, the composure and poise and the pitch-making ability to both sides of the plate. Not an easy lineup to pitch to, especially in the middle there. The way he can cut the ball, the way he can run his two-seamer to both sides, change speeds, it’s a tough at-bat."

“I thought he did a good job of just moving his stuff around," Rutschman said. "Thought he was able to locate his two-seam, work his slider-curveball combo really efficiently and get quick outs, and to be able to go six innings, 78 pitches, that gives our bullpen some relief and he did a great job today.

“I think that’s one of the things that makes him so great is he's just super consistent in his routine and the way he goes about his stuff, and Opening Day today, obviously everyone's excited, but he went about his same routine and went out in there and did a great job.”

Seranthony Domínguez walked two batters, allowed a single and threw a wild pitch in the seventh, a bad follow to a poor spring training, but a double play helped.

Today wasn't about pitching. The bats stole its thunder.

They also created their own.

"I just thought we took great at-bats all the way through the game," Hyde said. "Happy with just the quality of the at-bat, I didn’t think we chased much. I thought we went and got pitches to hit, we put great swings on them. Unbelievable to see the day Rutschman, O’Neill and Mullins had. Those guys have serious power and it was good to see those guys get off to a good start. Adley had a tough second half. To see him get off to that start ... Cedric’s looking to have a big year this year. And what can you say about O’Neill?

"He’s come over and his first game with us, when you do something that’s so crazy with six Opening Day homers, that’s mind boggling. So just a great, great team effort today."

Maybe it's also the magic of those Canadian donuts. O'Neill said he's bringing more on Friday.

"Whatever works, I’m good with it," Hyde said. "Wear the same clothes, do whatever you did today, do it tomorrow."