Preview Roundups
July 24, 2020
Atlanta at NY Mets 4:10 PM ET
Jacob deGrom has won the past two National League Cy Young awards, and the New York Mets turn to their ace as they host the Atlanta Braves in Friday’s long-delayed season opener. The right-hander put a scare into the Mets when he experienced back tightness last week, but after a precautionary MRI and an issue-free, 60-pitch simulated game Sunday, deGrom will make his second consecutive Opening Day start.
Detroit at Cincinnati 6:10 PM ET
The Cincinnati Reds made considerable noise in the offseason by adding some pop to a lineup that mustered the fifth-fewest runs in the majors last year. Nick Castellanos looks to show one of his former teams a thing or two on Friday when the Reds open the abbreviated season against the visiting Tigers.
Toronto at Tampa Bay 6:40 PM ET
The Tampa Bay Rays might be the team best suited to make a run in a short season and are gearing up to challenge the New York Yankees in the American League East. The Toronto Blue Jays, who visit the Rays on Friday in the opener of the 60-game regular season, are hoping to jump into that race with a promising young lineup and an improving rotation.
Miami at Philadelphia 7:05 PM ET
The Philadelphia Phillies hoped to ring the bell on a successful season after signing Bryce Harper to a blockbuster 13-year, $330 million contract, only to find themselves sitting quietly ahead of just the Miami Marlins in the National League East. The Phillies look for more bang for their buck on Friday when they open their abbreviated season against the visiting Marlins.
Kansas City at Cleveland 7:10 PM ET
The Cleveland Indians missed the playoffs for the first time since 2015 last year despite 93 wins, and hope a little roster tinkering along with better health will propel them back to the postseason. The Indians will send new ace Shane Bieber to the mound to open the pandemic-shortened, 60-game season Friday night against the visiting Kansas City Royals.
Milwaukee at Chi. Cubs 7:10 PM ET
Amid myriad coronavirus concerns in 2020, the Chicago Cubs have to purge a memory from a year ago when they collapsed down the stretch and tumbled out of the postseason picture. The Milwaukee Brewers also will be seeking to exorcise a painful memory of their own, a process that begins when they visit the Cubs on Friday night to open the abbreviated 60-game season.
Baltimore at Boston 7:30 PM ET
The Boston Red Sox begin an abbreviated season with several question marks in the rotation and at the top of the lineup after trading away former MVP Mookie Betts in the offseason. The Red Sox will show off their new look when they kick off the 2020 campaign by hosting the Baltimore Orioles on Friday.
Colorado at Texas 8:05 PM ET
The Texas Rangers and their deeper rotation christen Globe Life Field on Friday when they host the Colorado Rockies in the opener of a three-game series. Neither club is expected to make the playoffs, but a season shortened to 60 games because of the coronavirus pandemic could level the playing field a bit.
Minnesota at Chi. White Sox 8:10 PM ET
In what looms as the biggest season of uncertainty in the history of baseball, the Minnesota Twins can be sure of one thing: The 60-game sprint to the finish ensures that they will be unable to duplicate their record-setting campaign of 2019. The homer-happy Twins take aim at a second straight American League Central title starting with Friday's visit to the Chicago White Sox.
Pittsburgh at St. Louis 8:15 PM ET
With a nasty return-to-play negotiation and a near four-month delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic behind it, Major League Baseball somehow found itself on the field playing regular-season games sooner than the NBA or NHL. Teams needing to rebuild portions of their pitching staffs meet in their unusual opener Friday when the defending National League Central Division champion St. Louis Cardinals host the Pittsburgh Pirates with no fans present in the stands.
Seattle at Houston 9:10 PM ET
The Houston Astros have appeared in two of the past three World Series but enter Friday's season opener against the visiting Seattle Mariners as the most disliked team in baseball. The team's sign-stealing scandal was exposed by former Houston pitcher Mike Fiers and the club's success over the past three seasons - they won the World Series in 2017 - is being questioned entering a season shortened to 60 games because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Arizona at San Diego 9:10 PM ET
The San Diego Padres have been a mediocre offensive team for most of the 16 years they have called Petco Park home, but they have taken significant steps to rectify that in recent years. After trading for a pair of 20-homer players to complement former free-agent hauls Manny Machado and Eric Hosmer, the Padres look to show off their new-and-improved offense at home Friday in the opener of a four-game set against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
San Francisco at LA Dodgers 9:40 PM ET
The Los Angeles Dodgers were as good as advertised on Opening Day and will look to repeat the impressive performance Friday when they continue their four-game series against the visiting San Francisco Giants. Kike Hernandez went 4-for-5 with a home run and five RBIs in Thursday’s 8-1 win as the Dodgers showed why they’re favored to claim their eighth straight National League West title.
LA Angels at Oakland 10:10 PM ET
Mike Trout is with the Los Angeles Angels at the outset of the coronavirus-shortened 60-game season as his club opens up with a road game against the Oakland Athletics on Friday. Trout weighed skipping the season before saying "I'm playing" earlier this week but will leave the team for the birth of his first child, slated for Aug. 3.
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