Major League Baseball recently announced the schedule for the 2025 season, and it promises to be an action-packed year. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Shohei Ohtani will kick off the season in Tokyo against the Chicago Cubs on March 18. This international opener will set the stage for what is to come throughout the year. Additionally, the Athletics will begin their first season in Sacramento against the Cubs on March 31, adding even more excitement to the start of the season.
One of the most significant changes for the 2025 season is the increase in matchups between prime interleague rivals. Instead of just four games, each team will now play six games against their main interleague rival. This change means more matchups between iconic rivalries like the New York Yankees and Mets, Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels, Cubs, and Chicago White Sox, and Athletics and San Francisco Giants. The introduction of a Rivalry Weekend from May 16-18 will feature these prime interleague rivalries, along with other exciting matchups like Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia, Colorado vs. Arizona, Detroit vs. Toronto, and Houston vs. Texas.
For the third straight season, Major League Baseball is embracing a return to a balanced schedule. This means that each team will play 13 games against each of their division rivals (totaling 52 games) and six or seven games against each club in their league for a total of 62 games. The remaining 48 games will be against interleague opponents, with a single three-game series against each of the 14 other clubs in the opposite league. This balanced schedule aims to create fair and competitive matchups throughout the season.
In a nod to the globalization of baseball, the Dodgers and Cubs will face off at the Tokyo Dome on March 18-19, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the first regular-season games played in Japan by the Mets and Cubs. MLB has also shown interest in expanding its international presence, with games in Seoul, South Korea, and plans for regular-season games in Paris. However, logistical challenges have led to the abandonment of some of these plans.
As the league looks to the future, the Athletics have announced plans to move to a new ballpark in Las Vegas starting in 2028. Before that, they will spend the 2025 to 2027 seasons at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento. With a capacity of about 10,500 fixed seats, this ballpark will be home to both the Athletics and the River Dogs, the Giants‘ Triple-A team. The Athletics‘ move signifies a significant shift in the landscape of Major League Baseball and sets the stage for future developments in the sport.
Exciting Matchups and All-Star Game
The 2025 season will be filled with thrilling matchups, including games between the Cubs and Diamondbacks, Angels and White Sox, Giants and Reds, Mets and Astros, and many more. The All-Star Game is scheduled to take place at Atlanta’s Truist Park on July 15, promising to be a memorable event for fans and players alike. As the regular season draws to a close on September 28, baseball enthusiasts can look back on a season filled with highs and lows, rivalries, and international intrigue.
The future of Major League Baseball in 2025 and beyond looks bright, with exciting international openers, increased rivalries, and plans for expansion. As the league continues to evolve and adapt to the changing landscape of professional sports, fans can look forward to a season filled with unforgettable moments and thrilling matchups.
Napsat komentář