CHICAGO — (AP) — The major leagues are going to Tokyo and Tennessee. West Sacramento, too. There are some old friends on the schedule, and quite possibly, a chilly reception or two on the way.
Here are some dates to remember for the upcoming season:
Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago Cubs: Shohei Ohtani begins his second season with the Dodgers in his native country, taking on the Cubs in a pair of games at the Tokyo Dome. The two-game set marks the 25th anniversary of the Mets and Cubs playing the majors' first regular-season games in Japan. Ohtani is the main attraction in MLB's return to Tokyo, but the World Series champions also have Japanese pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, and the Cubs have two key Japanese players in Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki.
New York Mets at Houston Astros: Juan Soto makes his Mets debut when they visit Jose Altuve and the Astros on opening day. Soto signed a record $765 million, 15-year contract in free agency, giving the Mets a boost after they made a surprising run to the NL Championship Series. He should help anchor a dangerous lineup for New York. The Astros traded Kyle Tucker to the Cubs in December, but they are well-positioned for another playoff run after signing Christian Walker in free agency.
New York Mets at New York Yankees: Soto plays his first game at Yankee Stadium since signing with the Mets in free agency. Soto was traded from the Padres to the Yankees in December 2023, and the four-time All-Star hit .288 with 41 homers and 109 RBIs in his lone season with the Bronx Bombers. After the Yankees were spurned by Soto, the AL East champions bolstered their roster by adding Max Fried, Devin Williams, Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt.
Cincinnati Reds at Cleveland Guardians: Terry Francona manages his first game back in Cleveland since taking over the Reds in October. Francona was in Cleveland's dugout for 11 years before stepping down at the end of the 2023 season because of health reasons. After he departed, Stephen Vogt directed the Guardians to the AL Central title and an appearance in the AL Championship Series. The former big league catcher was voted AL Manager of the Year.
Atlanta's Truist Park hosts the All-Star Game four years after the event was moved to Denver's Coors Field over objections to changes in Georgia's voting rights laws. Atlanta also hosted the 1972 Midsummer Classic at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium and the 2000 All-Star Game at Turner Field. The AL has won 10 of 11 after a 5-3 victory over the NL in last year's game at Texas.
Atlanta Braves at Cincinnati Reds: There will be some serious speed and power on hand when Elly De La Cruz and the Reds take on Ronald Acuña Jr. and the Braves at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee. An attendance record is a possibility at a venue that can fit 146,000. De La Cruz had a major league-best 67 steals last year, to go along with 25 homers and 76 RBIs. Acuña is coming back after he missed most of last season because of a left knee injury. But Acuña joined the 40-40 club in 2023, hitting 41 homers and swiping a major league-high 73 bags on his way to the NL MVP award.
Boston Red Sox at Houston Astros: Alex Bregman returns to Houston when the Red Sox visit the Astros for the opener of a three-game series. Bregman spent his first nine seasons with the Astros, winning two World Series titles. The Gold Glove third baseman signed a $120 million, three-year contract with Boston in February. The Red Sox are expected to contend for the AL East title after they also acquired left-hander Garrett Crochet in a December trade with the White Sox.
Texas Rangers at Athletics: The Athletics are scheduled for 15 August home games in their first season at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, capped by the finale of their weekend set against Texas. The A's ended their stay in Oakland last year, and Sacramento typically has far hotter temperatures than the Bay Area. The team hopes to relocate to Las Vegas and a new ballpark ahead of the 2028 campaign. The Rangers are looking to return to the playoffs after they stumbled to a 78-84 record last year.
Arizona Diamondbacks at San Diego Padres: Corbin Carroll and Arizona finish the regular season with a three-game series against Manny Machado and San Diego. The Diamondbacks have high hopes for this year after they signed ace right-hander Corbin Burnes to a $210 million, six-year contract in free agency. They made it to the World Series in 2023 and then failed to make the playoffs last year. It was a quiet offseason for the Padres, but they still have the dynamic Machado and Jackson Merrill.
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