By J.Y. Mortimer
First Half of 2024 Campaign Highlighted by Opening Series in Korea, Returns to Mexico City and London, and Special Game at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama; All 30 Clubs Scheduled to Play on Traditional Opening Day on Thursday, March 28th; 94th All-Star Game Presented by Mastercard at Globe Life Field to be Played on July 16th
Major League Baseball today announced its master 2024 regular season schedule, which will begin with the 2024 Seoul Opening Series, featuring the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres – two franchises with a tradition of South Korean players – in Seoul, South Korea in the country’s first-ever Major League games on Wednesday, March 20th and Thursday, March 21st. Traditional Opening Day presented by Chevrolet, featuring all 30 Major League Clubs, will take place on Thursday, March 28th.
The 2024 season will mark the second season under the balanced schedule format agreed to as part of the most recent Basic Agreement between MLB and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA). The fan-friendly format, which features all 30 Clubs playing each other for at least one series, provides fans with the opportunity to see more opponent matchups while offering national exposure to the stars of the game.
The 15 games on traditional Opening Day will feature six divisional matchups and one Interleague contest (CHI @ TEX). Eight games are scheduled for Friday, March 29th, and a full slate of 15 games will be played on both Saturday, March 30th and Sunday, March 31st. The traditional opening date of March 28th matches the 2019 season as the earliest in Major League history, excluding special season-openers at international venues.
In addition to the 2024 Opening Series in Korea, the first half of the season will feature several other notable special events as previously announced. Major League games will return to both Mexico City and London for a second consecutive season with a two-game set between the Houston Astros and the Colorado Rockies scheduled for Saturday, April 27th and Sunday, April 28th; and the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies scheduled to meet at London Stadium on Saturday, June 8th and Sunday, June 9th. The three international series are part of the MLB WORLD TOUR, which represents MLB and the MLBPA’s largest ever international play plan across the 2023-2026 seasons.
Last month, MLB announced that Rickwood Field, the oldest professional ballpark in the United States and the former home of the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues, will be the site of a special regular season contest between the St. Louis Cardinals and the San Francisco Giants on Thursday, June 20th. The event, scheduled around Juneteenth next year, will include a variety of activities as a tribute to the Negro Leagues and its greatest living player – Hall of Famer, Giants legend, Birmingham native and Black Barons player Willie Mays.
The 94th All-Star Game presented by Mastercard will take place on Tuesday, July 16th at Globe Life Field in Texas, marking the ballpark’s first Midsummer Classic and the second overall hosted by the Texas Rangers, joining the 1995 contest at The Ballpark in Arlington. The final day of the 2024 regular season will be Sunday, September 29th, featuring eight divisional matchups.
Other highlights of the 2024 schedule include:
- A full slate of 15 games is scheduled for Jackie Robinson Day on Monday, April 15th, including the Washington Nationals visiting the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
- The Houston Astros will visit the Chicago Cubs for a three-game set on April 23rd-25th marking Houston’s first trip to Wrigley Field since 2013.
- The Oakland Athletics will host the Rangers for a traditional doubleheader on Wednesday, May 8th, marking the first of two scheduled doubleheaders across the Majors for 2024.
- All 30 Clubs will play on Lou Gehrig Day on Sunday, June 2nd, including the New York Yankees visiting the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park.
- The Dodgers will make their first trip to play the Yankees in New York since 2016 during a three-game series from June 7th-9th.
- The Padres will visit Fenway Park for the first time since 2013 with a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox on June 28th-30th.
- All 30 Clubs will be on the field for the Fourth of July, including the Mets visiting the Washington Nationals in Washington, D.C. for the Thursday slate of games.
- In the second scheduled traditional doubleheader on the 2024 schedule, the Giants will host the Colorado Rockies for a pair of games on Saturday, July 27th.
- All 30 Clubs will play on Roberto Clemente Day on Sunday, September 15th, including the Pittsburgh Pirates hosting the Kansas City Royals at PNC Park.
COURTESY MLB MEDIA RELATIONS & MLBpressbox.com