MLB announces 2013 regular season schedule
The Houston Astros will make A.L. debut on April 2nd, hosting the Texas Rangers
Major League Baseball today announced its master 2013 regular season schedule, which will begin with ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” on March 31st. Details on the Opening Night match-up are forthcoming. Twelve Opening Day games are currently set for Monday, April 1st. The final day of the 2013 regular season is scheduled for Sunday, September 29th.
Among the changes to the scheduling format for 2013:
- Next year’s schedule will call for Clubs to play 19 games against divisional opponents, for 76 division games total. The 19 games will be played in six series – three at home and three on the road.
- Each Club will play either six or seven games vs. non-divisional League opponents. These six or seven games will be played in two series – one at home and one on the road. Overall, 66 games will be played against non-divisional League opponents.
- Each Club will play 20 Interleague games throughout the regular season. These 20 Interleague games will be played in eight series – four at home and four on the road. Interleague series featuring prime rivals will include back-to-back two-game series spanning both cities/venues. The week featuring Interleague Play’s prime rivals will begin on Monday, May 27th, with the host Clubs in the same match-ups shifting on Wednesday, May 29th.
The Cincinnati Reds will host the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on April 1st in the season’s first edition of Interleague Play, which will be played throughout the regular season. Other Opening Day games on Monday include the Los Angeles Dodgers hosting the San Francisco Giants; the New York Mets hosting the San Diego Padres; the Washington Nationals hosting the Miami Marlins; the Chicago White Sox hosting the Kansas City Royals; the Minnesota Twins hosting the Detroit Tigers; the Arizona Diamondbacks hosting the St. Louis Cardinals; the Oakland Athletics hosting the Seattle Mariners; the Atlanta Braves hosting the Philadelphia Phillies; the Milwaukee Brewers hosting the Colorado Rockies; the Pittsburgh Pirates hosting the Chicago Cubs; and the New York Yankees hosting the Boston Red Sox.
Seven games are scheduled for Tuesday, April 2nd, including the inaugural American League contest for the Houston Astros, who will host the Texas Rangers at Minute Maid Park. The Astros will be members of the A.L. West next season, when each of MLB’s six divisions will have five Clubs for the first time. The first full slate of 15 games will be scheduled for Wednesday, April 3rd.
The Dodgers will host the Padres on Monday, April 15th, which is Jackie Robinson Day throughout Major League Baseball. The first day of the 2013 MLB First-Year Player Draft will be Thursday, June 6th. The 2013 All-Star Game at Citi Field, the home of the Mets, will be held on Tuesday, July 16th. The final day of the regular season will feature 11 series that are divisional match-ups.