MLB Opening Day 2023 Has Arrived — Here's What You Need to Know
Baseball fans, your time has come. After a long winter full of rule changes, massive free-agent contracts and a spring schedule full of excitement, MLB Opening Day 2023 is finally here. In many areas of the country, it's still a little chilly for a day at the ballpark, but no sweat. Baseball's resurrection means summer heat is coming quicker than Shohei Ohtani's fastball. From rule changes and spring training to World Series odds and today's schedule for all 30 teams, let's unleash the Opening Day Guide.
Rule Changes
By now, you've likely heard about the MLB rule changes taking over in the 2023 season. The pitch clock is the most significant change, and it added to the pace of play during spring training by shaving off 26 minutes in average game length. There are also pickoff attempt limits, defensive shift limits and larger bases that should add a little zing to how baseball is played over the next seven months.
Spring Training Recap
While records in spring training aren't a definitive indication of where teams are heading in 2023, they do tell a story. Teams in the Grapefruit League played roughly 25 games while teams in the Cactus League played closer to 30. Some of the top-performing teams in spring ball include: Cardinals (17-7), Braves (18-10), Angels (18-11), Royals (19-13) and Cubs (17-12).
World Series Odds
Astros (+600)
Yankees (+600)
Mets (+600)
Dodgers (+700)
Braves (+750)
Others: Padres (+900), Phillies (+1200), Blue Jays (+1300), Mariners (+1300)
MLB Opening Day Schedule
Braves at Nationals (1:05 pm) | Fried vs. Corbin
Giants at Yankees (1:05 pm) | Webb vs. Cole
Orioles at Red Sox (2:10 pm) | Gibson vs. Kluber
Brewers at Cubs (2:20 pm) | Burnes vs. Stroman
Tigers at Rays (3:10 pm) | Rodriguez vs. McClanahan
Phillies at Rangers (4:05 pm) | Nola vs. deGrom
Pirates at Reds (4:10 pm) | Keller vs. Greene
Rockies at Padres (4:10 pm) | Marquez vs. Snell
Blue Jays at Cardinals (4:10 pm) | Manoah vs. Mikolas
Twins at Royals (4:10 pm) | Lopez vs. Greinke
Mets at Marlins (4:10 pm) | Scherzer vs. Alcantara
White Sox at Astros (7:08 pm) | Cease vs. Valdez
Angels at Athletics (10:07 pm) | Ohtani vs. Muller
Coyotes at Dodgers (10:10 pm) | Gallen vs. Urias
Guardians at Mariners (10:10 pm) | Bieber vs. Castillo
2023 Opening Day Matchups Guide (MLB.com)
Opening Day is here. Let's play ball!
Additional Storylines
CBS Sports: Ranking MLB Opening Day Pitching Matchups
MLB: The 2023 MLB Award Winners Will Be…
USA Today: MLB's Five Most Important Players for 2023
ESPN: New Pitch Clock Shaved Average of 26 Minutes Off MLB Spring Training Games
