Play Ball Weekend returns for 3rd straight year

For kids dreaming of meeting their favorite ballplayers, learning from professionals and playing in a stadium they grew up watching only on television... the wait is over.
Major League Baseball's exciting new youth and community initiative returns for a third year during its annual Play Ball Weekend in 2018. In honor of the classic baseball film, MLB players and coaches will wear The Sandlot-inspired batting practice T-shirts during their respective Play Ball Weekends.
MLB clubs will host customized activities to engage young people, highlight the fun of youth baseball and softball and bring the professional levels of the game closer to kids. Fans can look forward to special ballpark giveaways -- including bat and ball sets, sunglasses, eye black, pitch grip baseballs, wristbands, drawstring bags, caps and more.
Since it's groundbreaking inauguration in 2015, the Play Ball initiative is making a direct impact on participation in both baseball and softball. For the second consecutive year, the two sports ranked as the most participated team sports in the United States in 2017 with 25.1 million participants, according to the annual Topline Participation Report produced by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. In 2017, casual participation in baseball rose by 12.9 percent, with overall participation seeing a 6 percent increase. Over the last three years, baseball has seen a 49.1 percent growth in casual participation, which is in direct correlation to the launch of the Play Ball initiative.
Half the league is wasting no time, as 15 of the 30 MLB clubs are participating in Play Ball events as early as June. The full schedule for each club's Play Ball weekend is as follows:
D-backs: April 22
Orioles: April 27-29
Rays: May 5-6
Reds: May 18-20
Mets: May 20
Pirates: May 20
Cardinals: May 20
Phillies: May 25-27
Yankees: May 27
Cubs: May 28
Royals: May 31-June 3
Braves: June 1-3
Tigers: June 1-3
Astros: June 1-3
Padres: June 2-3
Red Sox: June 5-10
Rockies: June 9
A's: June 10
Rangers: June 10
Nationals: June 22-24
Mariners: June 23
Twins: June 23-24
Blue Jays: June 23-25
Giants: June 24
Dodgers: June 28-July 1
Angels: June 30
Brewers: July 6
Indians: July 8
Marlins: July 13-15
White Sox: July 14-15
The Play Ball initiative is baseball's collective effort to encourage young people and communities to engage in baseball- or softball-related activities. These activities demonstrate positive ways the game can serve as an outlet for physical activity, fun with friends and learning how to play the sport as its most basic levels. Fans can follow along on Play Ball Weekend activities through MLB's social media channels, including @PlayBall on Twitter, Facebook.com/play.ball.mlb, PlayBall on Instagram, and MLBPlayBall on Snapchat.