On Monday, the MLB released their schedule for the 2020 season. The first thing to catch our eyes was the opening night/day matchups. There is a lot of great opening weekend series to watch for in this unusual season. In a 60-game season, there is no time to get off to a slow start not only for players but teams as well. No matter what you think of this season, just be glad we finally got America’s pasttime back in these times.
MLB Opening Weekend Series To Watch
Yankees vs Nationals
What a way to kick off the season on July 23rd. The defending World Series Champion Washington Nationals will welcome the New York Yankees in the first series of opening weekend. We won’t only get to see these stacked lineups in action but we’ll get to see a pitching matchup that will catch the eyes of everyone.
Gerrit Cole will likely face off against Max Scherzer in game one. These two pitchers met in game one of the 2019 World Series when Cole was a member of the Houston Astros. If that’s game one, imagine what the other two games will have in store. This is a great way to kick off the season but they’ll share a night with one of the best rivalries in baseball.
Giants vs Dodgers
Throw out the records when these two teams meet. The Los Angeles Dodgers will play host to the division rival San Francisco Giants for a four-game set right off the bat. The Dodgers have been one of the best teams in baseball for several years now while adding one of the best players in the game in Mookie Betts but the Giants have been trending down.
Madison Bumgarner left for the Arizona Diamondbacks in the offseason so we won’t be able to see him match up with Clayton Kershaw. But, even with no fans, this rivalry is electric enough to get a lot of people interested. On paper, the Dodgers should dominate the Giants, but it’s a fierce rivalry so San Francisco will fight until the end.
Braves vs Mets
A great divisional rivalry will take place with the Atlanta Braves going to face the New York Mets for a three-game set. The Braves have a great roster throughout and the Mets have improved and are a serious playoff contender. The Mets lost Noah Syndergaard but have great options to fill a spot with Michael Wacha and Rick Porcello. They have a solid rotation with Jacob deGrom and Marcus Stroman at the top and a good offense led by Pete Alonzo.
On the Braves side, even with the opt-out of Nick Markakis, they have a lot of firepower on offense with Freddie Freeman and Ronald Ocuna Jr. The Braves can also play great defense and a solid rotation. The NL East will be very competitive this year and it starts with a great series on July 24th.
Brewers vs Cubs
These two teams have been going at it and have built a bit of a rivalry over the past couple of years. It resumes with a three-game series in Chicago on July 24th. Over the past couple of years, the Milwaukee Brewers have lacked the pitching, yet they’ve been in the conversation every year. The same could be said for this season and they’ve added a lot of depth to the team.
The Chicago Cubs have a talented team but had a down year last season. They have guys like Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, and Javier Baez anchoring down the lineup both offensively and defensively. The pitching will be the question with Jose Quintana having surgery on his thumb but they do have veterans with Jon Lester and Yu Darvish upfront. This series will be a great one to watch on opening weekend.
Angels vs Athletics
This series might not be against the two most popular teams but these two teams are ones to watch in 2020. The Oakland Athletics host the Los Angeles Angels for a three-game series in Oakland. The Athletics finished with 97 wins last season and had great years from multiple players, including the trio of Matt Olsen, Matt Chapman, and Marcus Semien. They also have the power-hitting Khris Davis and pitcher Sean Manaea, who’s healthy to start the season.
The A’s will be playing against the Angels who have a new manager in Joe Madden and have the best player in the game, Mike Trout. There are guys in the lineup that can do damage but the pitching has been below average for years. In a 60-game season, the Angels are one of the teams that benefit and they have a real shot at the playoffs with Trout. This series will be one to watch.
Other Opening Day Series To Watch
- Minnesota Twins vs Chicago White Sox
- Arizona Diamondbacks vs San Diego Padres
- Pittsburgh Pirates vs St. Louis Cardinals
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