Cleveland Guardians Coach Explains Why Team Is Ready and Excited for Opening Day

As the 2026 MLB regular season approaches, the nerves and excitement are beginning to build for the Cleveland Guardians.

"I think, yeah, everyone's kind of chomping at the bit," Guardians bench coach Tony Arnerich said.

Opening Day is just days away, with Cleveland set to take on the Seattle Mariners on Thursday, March 26 at 10:10 p.m. EST at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.

It will be an immediate test for the Guardians, who open the season against a talented Mariners team that only improved over the offseason. Still, despite the challenge ahead, there’s a clear sense that Cleveland is ready to embrace it.

For Arnerich, part of the excitement is getting out of the spring training window and playing real, important games in the regular season. He also can't wait to get out of the Arizona heat.

"You know, it's like, let's play some real games, and 100-degree heat doesn't really help that," he said. "You know, it's one of those things, though, where you're still building guys up, so you've got to appreciate it and come to the park every day with, like, the goal getting better and getting prepared for the season and not fall into that trap."

“Everyone’s kind of chomping at the bit”#Guardians bench coach Tony Arnerich says this close to Opening Day, the team is more than excited to start the regular season #GuardsBall x @WEWS pic.twitter.com/Y9ycsMkb7z
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) March 18, 2026

Many players on the Guardians already know they are going to make the roster, while others try to continue attempting to solidify a spot by Opening Day. For those who are already good to go, though, they will continue to hone their skills in the meantime.

Arnerich emphasized the importance of maintaining balance at this point in the year, especially given how quickly it all flies by.

"You also know that three weeks from now, this is going to seem like so long ago," he continued. "It's just one of those things you've got to bring guys back to make sure that we're still getting the work in and focusing on the right things."

With the Guardians featuring several veterans who have spent years at the major league level, they’ll be tasked with guiding younger players like Chase DeLauter, and potentially Parker Messick and Petey Halpin, who are pushing to make the roster, helping mold them into players ready to contribute early in the campaign.

As the regular season continues to approach, the roster will eventually settle on 26 players who will look to replicate the previous season's efforts. Just last year, Cleveland was able to come back from down 15.5 games to finish first in the American League Central over the Detroit Tigers.

Earlier this offseason, manager Stephen Vogt set the team's goals on a high pedestal, with hopes of a World Series title in hand by the end of the year.

"We expect to go out and win every night," He said. "We are trying to win as many games as we can so we can have a chance to win a World Series. I think when that's our expectation, whatever expectations or pressure is coming in from the outside, it's not as much as the pressure we put on ourselves."

For now, the clubhouse will just look to continue keeping a positive atmosphere with hopes of beginning the season on a high note.