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March 28 (UPI) -- Two regular-season games are already completed -- because of MLB's Seoul Series -- but Thursday's league-wide slate of 13 contests will mark the start of the 2024 season for most baseball fans. The New York Mets initially were scheduled to host the Milwaukee Brewers in the first game of the day, but that matchup -- in addition to a Philadelphia Phillies-Atlanta Braves game -- was postponed and rescheduled for Friday because of rain in the forecast.
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The Baltimore Orioles now are set to host the Los Angeles Angels in Thursday's opener Baltimore. The first pitch is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. EDT from Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Another eight games are scheduled to start at 4:10 p.m., including Toronto Blue Jays-Tampa Bay Rays and St. Louis Cardinals-Los Angeles Dodgers meetings on MLB Network.
The reigning champion Texas Rangers will host the Chicago Cubs at 7:35 p.m. on ESPN.
The Oakland Athletics will host the Cleveland Guardians at 10:07 p.m. in Oakland. The Arizona Diamondbacks will then face the Colorado Rockies at 10:10 p.m. on Phoenix.
The Seattle Mariners will host the Boston Red Sox in the final game of the night. That matchup will start at 10:10 p.m. in Seattle and air on MLB Network.
Reigning American League MVP Shohei Ohtani, who signed a $700 million contract this off-season in free agency -- and the Dodgers are favorites to win the World Series. Reigning National League MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. and the Braves have the second-best odds to win the title, according to most sportsbooks.
The Houston Astros, New York Yankees, Orioles, Rangers and Phillies are among the other World Series favorites.
Acuna, Ohtani and his Dodgers teammates Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr., and Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper are National League MVP favorites.
Yankees teammates Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez, Rangers shortstop Corey Seager and Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez are American League MVP favorites.
Corbin Burnes of the Orioles, Kevin Gausman of the Blue Jays, Luis Castillo of the Mariners, Framber Valdez of the Astros, Pablo Lopez of the Minnesota Twins and Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers are among American League Cy Young Award favorites.
Spencer Strider and Max Fried of the Braves, Zack Wheeler of the Phillies, Zac Gallen of the Diamondbacks and Tyler Glasnow of the Dodgers are National League Cy Young Award favorites.
Burnes, Glasnow, Skubal, Lopez, Valdez, Gallen and Castillo are scheduled to pitch Thursday.
The Dodgers and Padres, who faced off earlier this month in the two-game Seoul Series, enter Thursday with matching 1-1 records. Betts hit the first home run of the 2024 season -- a 400-foot, two-run shot -- against the Padres on March 21 in South Korea's capital city.
Thursday's MLB schedule
All times EDT
Brewers at Mets at 1:10 p.m. -- Postponed
Angels at Orioles at 3:05 p.m.
Braves at Phillies at 3:05 p.m. -- Postponed
Nationals at Reds at 4:10 p.m.
Giants at Padres at 4:10 p.m.
Cardinals at Dodgers at 4:10 p.m. on MLB Network
Blue Jays at Rays at 4:10 p.m. on MLB Network
Twins at Royals at 4:10 p.m.
Tigers at White Sox at 4:10 p.m.
Pirates at Marlins at 4:10 p.m.
Yankees at Astros at 4:10 p.m.
Cubs at Rangers at 7:35 p.m. on ESPN
Guardians at Athletics at 10:07 p.m.
Rockies at Diamondbacks at 10:10 p.m.
Red Sox at Mariners at 10:10 p.m. on MLB Network
