Accompanying the news that San Juan, Puerto Rico will host a two-game series at the end of May, Major League Baseball’s commissioner Rob Manfred announced Thursday that ESPN will nationally broadcast seven Opening Day games on Sunday April 3 and Monday April 4. With all 10 postseason teams from last year being featured in the coverage, 2016’s Opening Day schedule will be highlighted by a World Series rematch between the Kansas City Royals and New York Mets at Kauffman Stadium.
The Mets and Royals will battle it out on April 3 during the season’s first installment of “Sunday Night Baseball” at 8:35 p.m. ET.
ESPN will cover 7 Opening Day games during first two days of 2016 regular season on Sunday, 4/3 & Monday, 4/4. pic.twitter.com/VItDXzA7RU
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) November 19, 2015
Although both the Mets and Royals will have since made several changes to their respective rosters come April, the rematch of the American and National League Champions will surely feature a pair of franchises that can meet in the Fall Classic for years to come. Despite the absences of postseason hero Daniel Murphy and perennial All-Star Alex Gordon, the Mets’ young starting rotation will look to rebound against the talented Royals’ lineup.
Other games that deserve some recognition from ESPN’s broadcast include a matchup between a pair of National League Central rivals in the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates as well as an American League Wild Card rematch between the Houston Astros and New York Yankees.
An additional announcement also revealed that the 2016 regular season will once again conclude with every game on October 2 (the final day of the regular season) scheduled for 3 p.m. ET.
Please see below for the full schedule surrounding 2016’s Opening Day coverage on ESPN.
Sunday April 3:
1:05 p.m. ET – St. Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh Pirates (ESPN)
4:05 p.m. ET – Toronto Blue Jays at Tampa Bay Rays (ESPN2)
8:35 p.m. ET – New York Mets at Kansas City Royals (ESPN)
Monday April 4:
1:05 p.m. ET – Houston Astros at New York Yankees (ESPN)
4:05 p.m. ET – Seattle Mariners at Texas Rangers (ESPN)
7:05 p.m. ET – Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres (ESPN)
10:05 p.m. ET – Chicago Cubs at Los Angeles Angels (ESPN2)
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