MLB spring training wrapped up Tuesday, and the regular season started Wednesday. This is the earliest Opening Day ever in the history of the MLB, beating out last season’s start by one day. This season unofficially commenced last Thursday in Tokyo, Japan, with the AL West’s Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners facing off in the Tokyo Dome. This was the first series of international games of the 2019 MLB season, the next coming June 29-30 when the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees will face off in London – the first MLB series to ever be played in Europe.

There is lots to be excited about for this season and for Opening Day, ESPN will be broadcasting a tripleheader of games beginning the afternoon of March 28, so you can binge watch Opening Day baseball to your heart’s content. If your team isn’t playing on the national stage today, it’s likely they’ll be playing on a regional network. Check TV listings to see when and where your team is playing.

The first game of ESPN’s tripleheader begins at 1:05 p.m. with the Baltimore Orioles visiting their divisional foes, the New York Yankees. Baltimore is coming off a very disappointing 2018 campaign, where the team won a mere 47 games and lost 115. Manager Buck Showalter’s contract was not renewed for 2019 and the team lost outfielder Adam Jones to free agency in the offseason, as he eventually signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Yankees, on the other hand, went 100-62 last year, but finished 2nd in the division, behind the eventual World Series champion, Boston Red Sox. The Bronx Bombers will look to win the division this year and have kept the core nucleus of their 2018 team together while adding pieces in the offseason via free agency. Both teams will walk into Yankee Stadium with a chip on their shoulder. A nice appetizer for this slate of Opening Day games, if you asked me.

For the main course, the NL West enemies Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers face off in LA at 4:05 p.m. in a battle of teams trying to remain in contention for the division after numerous players departed both teams. Arizona had more glaring departures, with All-Star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt headed to the St. Louis Cardinals and outfielder AJ Pollock trading in his Diamondbacks hat for a Dodgers one. The Diamondbacks also lost starting pitcher Patrick Corbin to the Washington Nationals.

The Dodgers gained AJ Pollock, but lost outfielders Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig and starting pitcher Alex Wood in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds, and also lost infielder Manny Machado to their division rivals, the San Diego Padres. Shortstop Corey Seager will return following Tommy John surgery that ended his 2018 season after just 26 games. His return will help the Dodgers on both offense and defense, but this game will be interesting to see how the teams bounce back and fill the voids left by players who now play elsewhere.

Dessert will feature the 2018 World Series champion Boston Red Sox visiting the 2-0 Seattle Mariners at 7:08 p.m. Seattle is coming off a sweep of the Oakland Athletics in Tokyo, and Boston will look to avoid an early World Series hangover. Boston recently inked ace starting pitcher Chris Sale to a 5-year, $145 million extension, and he will undoubtedly begin the season on the mound for the Red Sox. Boston retained a good deal of their 2018 championship team,

but after coming off a hot start in Tokyo, Seattle will look to have Boston’s number at T-Mobile Park.

I hope you enjoy the games as much as I do today. If you need me, I’ll be on my couch enjoying America’s favorite pastime.