ANAHEIM -- For the eighth time in nine years, the Mariners will open the season on the road as Major League Baseball announced the club's 2017 opener will be April 3 at Houston's Minute Maid Park.
Seattle's home opener will also be against the Astros on April 10 at Safeco Field, according to the tentative schedule that was released Wednesday. That initial homestand will also include three games with Texas and three with Miami, but the Mariners play just nine of their first 26 games at home.
The Mariners 40th anniversary season will conclude on the road for the first time since 2012, with a six-game trip to Oakland (Sept. 25-27) and Anaheim (Sept. 29-Oct. 1).
• Complete 2017 Mariners schedule
• Make a deposit on season tickets
Seattle faces the National League East in Interleague play, which means in addition to the Marlins in April, the Mariners will host the Phillies on June 27-28 and the Mets on July 28-30. They'll travel to Philadelphia on May 9-10, to Washington to face the Nationals on May 23-25 and Atlanta on Aug. 21-23 for three games in the Braves' new SunTrust Park.
The Mariners won't face the Padres in Interleague Play this year, instead getting matched with the Rockies for two games at Coors Field on May 29-30 and two at Safeco on May 31-June 1.
The Mariners will be home to celebrate two of the summer's major holidays - July 4 vs. the Royals and Labor Day on Sept. 4 vs. the Astros.
The season's longest homestand will be 11 games against the Rockies, Rays, Twins and Blue Jays from May 31 to June 11, while the Yankees, Red Sox and Mets will be in Seattle during a 10-game stand from July 20-30.
The toughest road trip figures to be a four-city, 12-game East Coast trek to face the Rays, Braves, Yankees and Orioles from Aug. 18-30. After lengthy homestands in June and July, the Mariners are on the road for 20 of 27 games in August.
September is again heavy on American League West matchups as the Mariners will face the A's, Astros, Angels and Rangers in 25 of the last 28 games. The only non-division team down the stretch is the Indians, who visit Safeco Field on Sept. 22-24 for the final home series of the regular season.
Start times for the games will be announced when the schedule is finalized in January.