Los Angeles, California and San Diego, California will kick off the 2024 Major League Baseball (MLB) Spring Training season on Thursday, February 22nd. The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres will face off in the Cactus League opener at 3:10 p.m. (ET)/1:10 p.m. (MST). The following day, on Friday, February 23rd, four more Cactus League games will take place, and on Saturday, February 24th, all 30 MLB teams will participate in Cactus and Grapefruit League games.
A new addition to the 2024 MLB calendar is the inaugural Spring Breakout, which will run from Thursday, March 14th to Sunday, March 17th. During this four-day event, each MLB club will field a team of their top prospects to go head-to-head in exhibition games against other clubs’ prospects. The action will commence on March 14th with games featuring the Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Orioles, as well as the Texas Rangers and Cincinnati Reds.
The regular season will begin with a groundbreaking event, the Seoul Opening Series. The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres will face each other in the first-ever MLB games held in South Korea on Wednesday, March 20th and Thursday, March 21st. Both games are scheduled to start at 7:05 p.m. local time on ESPN. The traditional Opening Day, featuring all 30 MLB teams, is set to take place on Thursday, March 28th.
Opening Day will consist of 15 games, including divisional matchups and one Interleague contest between the Chicago Cubs and the reigning World Series Champion Texas Rangers. On Friday, March 29th, eight games will be played, followed by a full slate of 15 games on both Saturday, March 30th and Sunday, March 31st. MLB Network will provide comprehensive coverage of Opening Day with its Emmy Award-winning MLB Tonight program, featuring live look-ins, highlights, and analysis.
The 2024 season will also showcase several special events announced by MLB. Mexico City and London will once again host MLB games, with the Houston Astros and Colorado Rockies playing a two-game series in Mexico City on April 27th and 28th. The New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies will meet at London Stadium on June 8th and 9th. These international series are part of the MLB WORLD TOUR initiative, a collaboration between MLB and the MLB Players Association aimed at expanding international play.
Another highlight on the 2024 calendar is a special regular season game between the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants. This contest will take place on June 20th at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama. The oldest professional ballpark in the United States, Rickwood Field was once home to the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues. The game will pay tribute to the Negro Leagues and celebrate the achievements of Hall of Famer Willie Mays, who played for the Black Barons at Rickwood Field.
The 94th All-Star Game presented by Mastercard is scheduled for Tuesday, July 16th at Globe Life Field in Texas. This will be the first Midsummer Classic held at the ballpark and the second overall hosted by the Texas Rangers, following the 1995 contest at The Ballpark in Arlington.
The 2024 regular season will conclude on Sunday, September 29th, featuring eight divisional matchups. All 15 games on the final day of the season will start between 3:00-3:20 p.m. (ET).
The MLB season in 2024 will once again follow the balanced schedule format, offering fans the opportunity to see more opponent matchups and providing national exposure to the game’s stars. Each of the 30 MLB teams will play each other for at least one series.
In addition to these key events, the 2024 calendar includes various notable games, such as the Houston Astros visiting the Chicago Cubs, the Oakland Athletics hosting the Texas Rangers for a doubleheader, and a rematch of the 2023 World Series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers.
Many commemorative days are also woven into the 2024 MLB season, including Jackie Robinson Day, Lou Gehrig Day, and Roberto Clemente Day. Each MLB team will participate in these special days, honoring the legacies of these baseball icons.
For further details about specific team schedules, fans can visit the official websites of the respective 30 MLB clubs. The 2024 MLB season promises an array of captivating matchups and exciting moments for baseball enthusiasts across the country.