Lack Of Hype For Only Opening Day Game Featuring Two Postseason Teams From Last Year
Josh Donaldson Will Be Wearing A Different Uniform In Opening Day In Oakland
March 26 will have some well-anticipated matchups, so Opening Day for the 2020 Major League Baseball season might appear more intriguing than those starts in the past. For just the second straight time, every team will play that day, a nice change from the past.
Several clubs open the year against their division rivals, which provides added excitement to the occasion. The Chicago Cubs, who lost out on the postseason last year, have to start 2020 in Miller Park against the team that finished just ahead of them in the National League Central division.
Few rivalries are as old and storied as that of the Dodgers and Giants, and it will commence immediately in 2020. San Francisco and new manager Gabe Kapler must start their first of 162 in Dodger Stadium, home of last year's N.L. West division champions.
The club holding the crown of the Central division must also begin their title defense against a bitter rival, the much-improved Cincinnati Reds. With the best rotation In the division, the Reds could very well be an early test for a St. Louis lineup that lost one of its best power hitters in Marcel Ozuna.
Perhaps the game receiving the most publicity includes the reigning World Series Champions, who also open against a division rival. It is not so much the rivalry that makes the matchup so attractive, but rather its scheduled pitchers. Cy Young Award winners face off, Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals and Jacob deGromm of the New York Mets.
In the junior circuit the champions of the West division, the Houston Astros, will be tested early as they travel to Los Angeles to play the much-improved Angels. Crowds there will get their first look at Anthony Rendon in an Angels uniform, as well as manager Joe Madden in the home dugout.
In spite of the many headline matchups slated for Opening Day, only one of them pits two postseason teams against each other. That game, which has the Minnesota Twins playing the A's in Oakland, has gone somewhat under the radar.
Nevertheless, that 4:00 game is the one I am most looking forward to, since the two clubs are very likely to meet in the postseason in 2020. It will also be the only chance Oakland fans will have to see former A's third baseman Josh Donaldson, since he and his new team will not be returning to the Coliseum for the rest of the regular season.
