When is 2024 MLB opening day? Date, Venue, Key Matchups explored

Less than a fortnight after the culmination of the 2023 World Series, 2024 MLB opening day is already on the minds of fans. Thankfully, the day that's in it has plenty for us all to look forward to.

2024 MLB opening day is set for March 28, 2024, with all 30 teams slated to take to the field. Although the time of first pitches is yet to be determined, opening day in 2024 will be the earliest in the calendar since the 2019 season.

"The only 2024 opening day games I’m really waiting on" - Can Yo Man Cook

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred's office has taken stock of recent rivalries to attempt to compile one of the most epic opening day game lists ever. Already, fans will need to circle the following games in their calendars.

Ronald Acuna and the Atlanta Braves, who set an MLB record for the highest team slugging percentage last season, will square off against the Philadelphia Phillies in an NL East clash. The 101-win Braves were eliminated at the hands of Bryce Harper and the Phillies in a five-game NLDS last October.

The Chicago Cubs will be in Arlington to take on the defending World Series champs. Fresh off their first franchise World Series win, expect to see Adolis Garcia, Marcus Semien, and Corey Seager continue to elevate their game for the Rangers.

While 2024 MLB opening day is officially set for March 28, two teams will see their season begin early. The Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers are set to play in Seoul, South Korea on March 20 and 21, in the first-ever MLB game on the Korean Peninsula.

"Who do you want as Manager of the San Diego Padres come Opening Day 2024 in South Korea? The DSG is rocking with this candidate...... Agree or disagree?" - Devine Sports Gospel

Another matchup of note on 2024 MLB opening day will feature the New York Yankees in Houston to take on the Astros. While the team did not meet in the 2023 postseason, plenty of bad blood remains from the 2019 and 2022 ALCS that saw the Astros emerge victorious twice.

Other notable matchups to look forward to next March include the Jays playing the Tampa Bay Rays, the Red Sox playing in Seattle, and the Brewers taking on the New York Mets.

2024 MLB opening day will kickstart a very interesting season

The sheer number of unknowns pertaining to the 2024 season is enough to have any MLB fan on the edge of a cliff. Where will Shohei Ohtani be? Will the Yankees falter once more? Can Craig Counsell make a difference for the Cubs? These are all questions that will be answered in due course. However, now we must wait, and continue to exchange bold predictions for the season ahead.