MLB Opening Day: 2024 regular season kicks off in full with Shohei Ohtani cloud looming

CNN
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Though followers have been handled to a glimpse of MLB motion, the 2024 season kicks off in full on Thursday with Opening Day.

The Seoul Collection noticed the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Deigo Padres formally elevate the curtain on the brand new calendar with a two-game collection in South Korea, however the remainder of MLB begins their marketing campaign this week.

Right here’s every thing you have to know forward of Opening Day.

The Opening Day slate of video games takes place on Thursday, March 28, with 26 groups taking to the sphere. Two extra allotted Opening Day video games can be performed on Friday following rain postponements.

The Baltimore Orioles and the Los Angeles Angels kick off the day’s motion at 3:05 PM ET at Camden Yards in Maryland. The Orioles will maintain a second of silence to honor the victims and the town’s “courageous first responders who instantly stepped into motion” earlier than the group’s opening residence sport of the season after Tuesday’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.

Each sport is accessible reside on MLB.TV in addition to native broadcasters. Yow will discover the record of native broadcasters right here.

Ohtani cloud overshadows Dodgers begin

The vast majority of the Los Angeles Dodgers offseason was dominated with optimism and discuss of a World Collection problem after the acquisition of two-time MVP Shohei Ohtani and pitching phenom Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Nonetheless, that baseball dialogue has been overshadowed in current weeks following the current playing scandal involving Ohtani and his longtime interpreter Ippei Mizuhara.

The scandal had damaged whereas the Dodgers had been in South Korea final week when ESPN and the Los Angeles Occasions – which broke the story – reported Ohtani’s attorneys accused Mizuhara of “huge theft” of tens of millions of {dollars} and putting bets with a bookmaker who’s below federal investigation. Mizuhara was fired whereas the group was in Seoul.

Ohtani, who in the course of the offseason signed baseball’s richest contract with the Dodgers, adamantly denied betting on any sport or paying a bookie and positioned the blame for the improprieties squarely on his former interpreter who the two-time American League (AL) MVP alleged was stealing cash from his account.

With the cloud of this scandal hanging over him, Ohtani went 3-for-10 with two RBIs and a stolen base within the Seoul Collection and can make his residence debut in opposition to the St. Louis Cardinals at 6:10 p.m. ET.

Though a lot of the dialogue across the Dodgers during the last week or so has been in regards to the scandal and the way a lot it’d have an effect on Ohtani, the Dodgers nonetheless have arguably the perfect roster within the MLB, with Ohtani, Yamamoto, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, Tyler Glasnow and Walker Buehler all that includes on ESPN’s high 100 gamers rankings.

For a group with a lot historical past and expertise behind it, lacking out on the postseason final yr was an enormous let down for the New York Yankees.

It was the primary time since 2016 that the group had carried out so, and a dramatic enchancment is predicted in 2024.

The Yankees sought to dramatically overhaul their roster in the course of the offseason, the principle acquisition being Juan Soto from the San Diego Padres.

The three-time All-Star hit 35 residence runs and had 109 runs batted in (RBIs) with a .275 batting common final season for San Diego and is likely one of the favorites to problem for the American League MVP award this season.

With a roster together with Soto, Aaron Choose, Giancarlo Stanton and Gerrit Cole, the Yankees are anticipated to be one of many highest powered groups within the AL this time round and start their 2024 marketing campaign on the street in opposition to the 2022 champion Houston Astros.

Across the MLB, there are many different storylines to regulate.

In one in all Thursday’s postponed video games – the Atlanta Braves will play the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday – the place the reigning Nationwide League (NL) MVP will make his first look of the yr.

Ronald Acuña Jr. is coming off a stellar private season, one which noticed him change into the primary participant in MLB historical past to hit a minimum of 40 residence runs and steal 70 bases.

Though the Braves misplaced within the NL Division Collection to the Phillies, Acuña Jr. is predicted to make one other tilt at a consecutive MVP award and sure drive Atlanta to a different deep playoff run.

Elsewhere, the Texas Rangers will start their protection of their World Collection title at residence in opposition to the Chicago Cubs.

Exterior of the group’s established stars, Texas’ breakout star could possibly be Wyatt Longford who was drafted fourth total final yr and blossomed throughout Spring Coaching.

Right here is the total schedule for the Opening Day slate of video games (all instances in ET):

Thursday, March 28

Los Angeles Angels @ Baltimore Orioles – 3:05 PM ET

Washington Nationals @ Cincinnati Reds – 4:10 PM ET

San Francisco Giants @ San Diego Padres – 4:10 PM ET

St. Louis Cardinals @ Los Angeles Dodgers – 4:10 PM ET

Toronto Blue Jays @ Tampa Bay Rays – 4:10 PM ET

Minnesota Twins @ Kansas Metropolis Royals – 4:10 PM ET

Detroit Tigers @ Chicago White Sox – 4:10 PM ET

Pittsburgh Pirates @ Miami Marlins – 4:10 PM ET

New York Yankees @ Houston Astros – 4:10 PM ET

Chicago Cubs @ Texas Rangers – 7:35 PM ET

Cleveland Guardians @ Oakland Athletics – 10:07 PM ET

Colorado Rockies @ Arizona Diamondbacks – 10:10 PM ET

Boston Crimson Sox @ Seattle Mariners – 10:10 PM ET

Friday, March 29

Milwaukee Brewers @ New York Mets – 1:40 PM ET

Atlanta Braves @ Philadelphia Phillies – 3:05 PM ET