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MAJOR LEAGUE | 2020 PREVIEW DATES TO PENCIL IN

At long last, baseball is ready to go after was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. With UNCHARTED: a myriad of potential problems circling a 60-game MLB SETS COURSE schedule, the whole is truly a day-to-day BASEBALL proposition. With that in mind, here are a handful of dates to FOR SEASON AMID mark on the calendar. Just make sure you use a pencil. >> THURSDAY, JULY 23 << COVID-19 PANDEMIC New York Yankees at Washington Nationals: Base- IS BACK ball begins again with a star-studded matchup in a city that knows a little something about expectations | BY JAKE SEINER AP SPORTS WRITER will host the Yankees on July 23 for the Rendon decided dierently, leaving and power. and open their title season’s rst game — likely a showdown Washington when the Angels oered a defense after winning the World for the rst his was a no one saw between Washington Max Scher- $245 million, seven-year deal. He’ll join time in franchise history. is hoping to lead coming — and you might remem- zer and New York’s latest big-money Trout, a fully healthy and New York to its 28th championship after the ace right- rst-year — red hander signed a blockbuster deal with the Yankees in Tber, the Astros have a addition, Gerrit Cole. West, Clayton free agency. knack for that. Kershaw should be on the mound later aer 2019 by the Cubs — in >> THURSDAY, JULY 30 << “ is is all uncharted waters,” rst- that night as the Dodgers Anaheim. at Twins: The Twins year Astros manager said. face the Giants. e Dodgers made the oseason’s clubbed a major league-record 307 homers on their Baseball is back, but amid a coronavi- It will be a sprint from there. Clubs biggest splash at the last minute, acquir- way to the AL Central title last year — and then added rus pandemic still surging in the United will play 60 games in 67 days, with the ing 2018 AL MVP from slugger in free agency. States, it’s going to be dierent. season ending Sept. 27. All 30 teams are the Red Sox days before the start of >> FRIDAY, AUG. 7 << Aer shutting down spring train- to start their nales at 3 p.m. EDT to . He and 2019 NL MVP at : José Altuve ing and going on a nearly four-month account for a nal-day playo scramble. will form a star-studded and Houston nish their rst road trip in Oakland, outeld — at least for one year. Betts can home of former teammate . But this isn’t hiatus, plans to Most games this season, however, are at going to be one of those warm reunions. open a 60-game regular season on July night. become a free agent aer the season. >> THURSDAY, AUG. 13 << 23. Teams are set to play in their home Clubs will play 40 times against divi- St. Louis Cardinals at : The ballparks and travel between cities — no sion opponents, and the remaining 20 SOMETHING NEW Cardinals are in and the Yankees are out for baseball’s sequestering in bubbles, like the NBA will be interleague games against teams Games between tribute to “” at the site in eastern and NHL. from corresponding regions — NL East teams will use the for where the 1989 movie was lmed. ere are protocols for rigorous vs. AL East, for example. 2020 as MLB and the players’ union hope >> MONDAY, AUG. 17 << testing and social distancing in dugouts, A juicy twist brought on by the to keep players healthy amid the con- at Braves: Ronald and some players will wear face masks on rejiggered schedule: the Houston Astros densed schedule. No decision has been Acuña Jr. and Atlanta host and Washing- the eld. Braves slugger will play at Dodger on Sept. 12 made about 2021, but it’s likely most ton in their rst meeting since the Nationals won it all. and Yankees in a rematch of the 2017 . have taken their nal at-bats in >> FRIDAY, AUG. 21 << are among those already sidelined by the big leagues. at : It will be their rst meeting since it was returns to San Francisco after COVID-19, and more are likely to follow. revealed Houston illicitly stole signs en Another change rankling traditional- signing an $85 million, ve-year contract with Arizona Hard to know what’s coming next. route to a 2017 championship, news ists — MLB is adopting an extra- in December. For a sport transformed in recent years that irked Los Angeles’ players and fans. rule that gives each club an automatic >> MONDAY, AUG. 31<< by upper-cut swings, just getting a ball in Astros manager AJ Hinch and general runner on second base to start each in- deadline: Last day during the season to trade play will be victory enough. ning from the 10th on. Hardly a popular a player. The deadline to be in an organization for manager Je Luhnow were red in the postseason eligibility is Sept. 15. “It feels good to be back on the eld,” fallout. change, but it should keep games from Yankees slugger said. e Field of Dreams ballpark in Iowa dragging deep into the night. >> WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 2 << Not everyone agreed. Giants catcher Tampa Bay Rays at : The Rays remains on track. e Chicago White “I haven’t met anyone so far that likes were one of baseball’s biggest surprises a year ago, , Dodgers le-hander David Sox had been scheduled to play the New it,” Washington Nationals manager Dave going 96-66 and making it to the AL Price, Braves righty Félix Hernández and York Yankees. Instead, the White Sox Martinez said. before losing to Houston. Nationals veteran are will face the St. Louis Cardinals in the MLB decided before the hiatus to >> SATURDAY, SEPT. 12 << all sitting out the season due to safety cornelds on Aug. 13. institute a three-batter minimum for all Houston Astros at : Los concerns. With midsummer already gone, there pitchers, possibly signaling an end to the Angeles was supposed to face the AL Central in Even Angels star , expect- won’t be an All-Star Game. e Los le-handed specialist. this year. Then the coronavirus ing his rst child with wife Jessica in and MLB reorganized its schedule to limit travel — Angeles Dodgers were supposed to host, Some virus protocols will give the setting up Houston’s rst trip to August, isn’t so sure. but they’ve been awarded the 2022 game game a dierent look, too. Reserve since the Astros’ sign-stealing scheme became public “Honestly, I still don’t feel that instead. players not likely to enter knowledge. The Dodgers lost to Houston in seven comfortable,” he said. may watch from the stands instead games in that , and they weren’t shy “ is is a tough time, WHO’S THAT GUY? of the , and there will be no about expressing their disdain for the Astros after the a tough situation e Yankees claimed free spitting, no sunower seeds and scandal came out over the winter. everyone is in. agency’s biggest prize when they no nger licking. Getting too close >> SUNDAY, SEPT. 27 << Everybody has a signed ace Gerrit Cole to a $324 to an to argue will lead at St. Louis Cardinals: The responsibility in last two NL Central champions nish the regular million, nine-year deal in December. to immediate ejection and season with a four-game set. and Paul this clubhouse. Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks discipline. Goldschmidt led the way as St. Louis won the division Social distance, poached long-time Giants le- With fans barred last year for the rst time since 2015, nishing two stay inside, hander Madison Bumgarner, from entering stadi- games ahead of Milwaukee. But the Brewers played wear a mask Hyun-Jin Ryu le the Dodgers for ums, clubs are getting without down the stretch after the and be .” star out elder broke his right kneecap. the Blue Jays, and creative. Some teams at Los Angeles Dodgers: The landed with the Phillies. plan to pump in arti- 60 GAME drives into the last weekend of the Right-hander Stephen Stras- cial crowd noise, and season. Mike Trout and the Angels are hoping to SPRINT burg, last fall’s World Series MVP, many are letting die- return to the playos for the rst time since 2014, and e tested the market but returned to hards purchase the right they’ll have Joe Maddon in the dugout after he was World hired as manager in October. The loaded Dodgers, the Nationals for $245 million to have their likenesses who acquired Mookie Betts in a Feb. 10 trade with Series cham- over seven years. printed on cutouts that will Mookie , are aiming for their rst World Series champi- Mike pion Nationals ird baseman Anthony be placed in the seats. onship since 1988. Trout Betts