MLB Sets March 24 Opening Night for 2027 as CBA Fight Threatens 162-Game Season
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 17
MLB Sets March 24 Opening Night for 2027 as CBA Fight Threatens 162-Game Season
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 17
Summary
March 24 will open the 2027 MLB season with a single Opening Night game, followed by a 14-game traditional Opening Day on March 25 — the earliest full Opening Day on record.
MLB said it moved the calendar up because fans want the postseason finished in October; a potential Game 7 of this year's World Series is scheduled for Oct. 31.
December's expiring collective bargaining agreement could still upend the plan, with owners expected to lock out players and talks already shadowed by a fight over a salary cap.
2022 offers the clearest precedent: MLB canceled early games after no deal by March 1, then started on April 7 after a March 10 agreement preserved a full 162-game schedule.
July 13 is set for the All-Star Game at Wrigley Field, and Netflix will again carry the first regular-season game if labor talks do not force a revised calendar.