HOUSTON -- Along with the rest of the league, the Astros unveiled their schedule for the 2017 campaign on Wednesday morning.
Houston will open its season with a seven-game homestand, starting on April 3 against the Mariners and ending on April 9 against the Royals. The Astros will then head to Seattle, where the Mariners will host them for their home opener.
Twenty-four of the Astros' first 33 games come against American League West opponents. That span ends with the season series opener against the Rangers, who have had the Astros' number in 2016, in Arlington (May 1-4).
• Astros' 2017 schedule
In Interleague Play, the Astros have home and road series scheduled against the Braves and D-backs. They'll also host the Nationals and Mets, and travel to face the Marlins and Phillies.
After playing at home on the Fourth of July this season -- a 2-1 win over the Mariners -- the Astros will be in Atlanta for Independence Day 2017, starting a two-game series with the Braves that day.
• 2017 season tickets
Houston will do a lot of traveling in a short period of time leading into the All-Star break. On June 19, the Astros head to Oakland for a four-game series with the A's before staying on the West Coast for three games against Seattle. They'll then return home for six games against the A's and Yankees (June 27 to July 2) before heading to Atlanta and Toronto to wrap up the first half.
The Astros end their season with seven consecutive road games (Sept. 25 to Oct. 1) against a pair of teams heavily involved in this season's playoff race: the Rangers and Red Sox.
Although the release of the 2017 schedule is sure to be exciting for some fans, the Astros, in the hunt for the second Wild Card spot, are focused on trying to make the 2016 postseason.
"I haven't [seen the schedule]," manager A.J. Hinch said. "I'll look at it after the season."