MLB Opening Day 2018: Game times, TV schedule, and live stream info

ESPN will televise a quartet of Thursday games

Mar 29, 2018, 2:00 PM UTC

MLB: World Series-Houston Astros at Los Angeles Dodgers

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The 2018 Major League Baseball season gets started Thursday with a nearly full slate of games, including four nationally televised games on opening day.

The defending World Series champion Houston Astros begin their title defense on the road against their in-state rival Texas Rangers in Arlington (3:30 p.m. ET, Watch ESPN), one of four games on Thursday televised by ESPN. Justin Verlander, who was 9-1 with a 1.27 ERA including the postseason with Houston after he was acquired from the Detroit Tigers on Aug. 31, gets the call on Thursday for the Astros, his 10th career opening day start.

Clayton Kershaw makes his eighth consecutive opening day start for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who open at home against the San Francisco Giants (7 p.m.). Madison Bumgarner was originally slated to start this one for San Francisco but a broken pinkie knocked out the Giants ace for several weeks. Left-hander Ty Blach will start instead. This is another ESPN game and will mark the debut of the new Sunday Night Baseball broadcast team of Matt Vasgersian, Alex Rodriguez, and Jessica Mendoza.

All three 100-win teams from 2017 are on national TV on Thursday, including the 102-win Cleveland Indians opening up their 2018 campaign against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field (10 p.m., ESPN). Two-time American League Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber starts on the mound for Cleveland.

The first game of opening day features what is left of the Miami Marlins, who traded their entire outfield — reigning National League MVP Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, and Marcell Ozuna — plus second baseman Dee Gordon in the offseason after the team was sold for $1.25 billion. Miami will host the Chicago Cubs at 12:30 p.m., also on ESPN.

Stanton officially begins his new era in pinstripes north of the border with the New York Yankees opening their season on the road against the Toronto Blue Jays (3:30 p.m. ET). Stanton, who walloped 59 home runs in 2017, has played three career games at Rogers Centre in Toronto, while with the Miami Marlins in 2015. He hit three home runs.

Originally there were 15 games on the docket for Thursday but with inclement weather pending in Cincinnati the Reds postponed their opener against the Rangers. Those two teams instead will start their 2018 seasons on Friday.