First things first: We acknowledge that the three games in New York that opened this season for the Milwaukee Brewers could’ve gone better. They were homered right off the field — torpedoed, if you will.
But in the spirit of “one game at a time,” we move on to the real opening day: Monday’s home opener against the Kansas City Royals. Probable starting pitchers for the game (the operative word being “probable,” considering the rash of injuries the Brewers have experienced on the bump) are Elvin Rodriguez for the home team and Kris Bubic for the visiting Royals.
Also probable for the home opener: Your need for a winter coat. We woke up to sub-freezing temperatures Monday morning, and it’ll only get a couple degrees above that mark by the time first pitch rolls around. Let’s run through the rest of the info you’ll need for the game:
Tickets
As of Monday morning, there are a handful of tickets remaining scattered throughout American Family Field. The Brewers released a couple hundred late last week, and then there are some limited standing-room tickets as well. If you’re interested in those, you can visit the ticketing portal on the Brewers website.
Schedule
You could argue the most important time in the home-opener schedule is first pitch, which happens at 1:10 p.m. But, because this is the tailgating capital of the United States, also in the running are the parking lots, which open at 10:10 a.m. Gates to the ballpark itself will open at 11:10 a.m. Then there are the pregame ceremonies, which will proceed as follows:
- 12:40 p.m. — Teams line up on the first- and third-base lines for introductions.
- 12:57 p.m. — National Anthem from Milwaukee singer-songwriter Allison Mahal. Joining her on the field will be Valkyrie, a bald eagle from the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center.
- 1:02 p.m. — Ceremonial first pitches by Karl Simandl from the Wounded Warrior Project and Dr. Kent Botsford from the ALS Association. These were two of Bob Uecker’s favorite causes, and they’re now supported by the Uecker family and the Brewers in his memory.
- 1:09 p.m. — Festival Foods “Play Ball” Kids, Alice and Aleah Payamps (daughters of Brewers pitcher Joel Payamps), get things underway.
Giveaway
All fans will receive a 2025 Milwaukee Brewers magnet schedule courtesy of Palermo’s Pizza.
Entertainment
Throughout the morning, fans will find a pregame party near the pedestrian bridge that includes trivia sessions with Brewers in-game hosts Nicole Sedivy and Carrie Mahone, a Brew Crew photo booth and various team mascots. You can also catch a drumline performance from Ronald Reagan, Rufus King and South Division high schools; and dancing by the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies and Lake Country Dockettes.
On the music front, DJ King James will provide the soundtrack near the pedestrian bridge, the 5 Card Studs will handle those duties at the Miller Lite Landing, and DJ EJ will take care of the sounds in the stadium.
Ueck
The home opener marks the Brewers’ first official appearance in Milwaukee since the death of Bob Uecker in January. The team will remember their hall-of-fame broadcaster and franchise icon in several ways Monday, including Uecker’s signature scrawled across the outfield grass, a moment of silence and the Milwaukee debut of a commemorative jersey patch on all on-field personnel jerseys. The Brewers also announced that they’ll soon share details of a special day-long Celebration in Life planned for August.
Food
J. Leinenkugel’s Barrel Yard opens at 11:10 a.m and will serve ticketed guests on a first-come, first-served basis. Fans can also pick up a beverage at the Tap Room and take it to go around the ballpark.
The home opener will also mark the debut of “The Alley” Food Truck Park located on the left-field Loge Level. Fans are invited to hang out at the new bar located in this area and enjoy selections from a handful of local food-truck vendors: Baron’s Gelato, Chuchos Red Tacos, Hidden Kitchen MKE and Nadi Plates. The team introduced their usual lineup of new concessions as well, details for which you can find here.
