laila edwards will take center stage in Cleveland’s Opening Day pregame ceremonies when the Cleveland Guardians return home to Progressive Field for their 2026 home opener against the Chicago Cubs on Friday.
What happens when Laila Edwards takes the mound for the ceremonial first pitch?
The Guardians’ Opening Day festivities will be highlighted by the ceremonial first pitch from Laila Edwards, a 2026 Women’s Hockey Olympic gold medalist and a Cleveland Heights native. The team begins the 2026 season on the road, but Friday marks its first home game of the year, with Progressive Field hosting a full slate of pregame events ahead of the matchup with Chicago.
Edwards’ selection for the first pitch connects the Guardians’ home opener to a major Olympic milestone. During this year’s Winter Olympics, Edwards made history as the first Black woman on Team USA’s women’s hockey team. On the ice, she finished the Olympic Games with eight total points, including two goals and two assists. One of those assists came on the game-tying goal in the gold medal match against Canada.
What if Opening Day becomes a wider Northeast Ohio showcase?
Another Northeast Ohio native is also part of the Guardians’ pregame programming. Akron native and trumpeter John Lampley will perform the National Anthem, God Bless America, and Take Me Out to the Ballgame. Lampley is a member of the band O. A. R. and is working on his sophomore solo album, “Notes to Self, ” which is set for release on June 26.
Beyond the first pitch and musical performances, the Guardians plan a Presentation of Colors with military members from different branches, along with a flyover during the National Anthem. The ceremony is also set to include the raising of Cleveland’s AL Central Champions flag from the 2025 season inside Progressive Field.
What happens when pregame ceremonies lead into first pitch at Progressive Field?
The Guardians and Cubs are scheduled for a 4: 10 p. m. first pitch on Friday (ET), with pregame ceremonies beginning at 3: 30 p. m. (ET). The Guardians’ return to Progressive Field for the home opener comes after starting the 2026 season on the road, setting up a Friday that blends baseball’s early-season reset with a ceremonial program built around local and regional figures.
For fans arriving early, the pregame schedule places Laila Edwards at the center of the Opening Day moment, pairing the Guardians’ first home game of 2026 with a celebratory nod to an Olympic gold medalist from Cleveland Heights. With the flyover, the Presentation of Colors, and the 2025 AL Central Champions flag set to be raised, the Guardians’ Friday home opener is positioned as both a season kickoff and a Cleveland-focused ceremony before baseball begins.
