Major League Baseball's Inauguration Day is finally here.
The league will expect to put an off-season of uncertainty behind it as baseball begins Thursday on a somewhat narrower, yet full, 162-game schedule. Here's everything you need to know.
Why the delay in opening day?
The MLB season was originally scheduled to begin on March 31, but the league announced it would cancel the start of the 2022 regular season as the league and the Players Association entered into a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
MLB owners originally locked out players on December 2, 2021, leading to a loss of contact between teams and their players until the lockdown finally ended after 99 days. It was the first time that MLB games had been canceled as a result of a halt to work since the 1994–95 players' strike.
Those canceled games will be squeezed into the regular section of games as part of the new CBA, saving the entire 162-game season.
What changed with the new agreement?
One of the biggest changes as part of the new CBA is that pitchers will no longer have to take at-bat in the National League. The American League has allowed designated hitters to take the place of pitchers in the rotation since 1973, but the rule is now universal for both leagues.
MLB temporarily installed universal designated hitters during the awkward 2020 season, but the National League returned to its original rules in 2021. Now both leagues will have a universally designated hitter for 2022.
Another major change this season will be an expanded group in the playoffs, consisting of 10 to 12 teams. The top two teams in each league will receive a first round bye and a third wild-card team will be added to each league.
One rule that hasn't changed since it came into force during the pandemic is the "ghost runner" rule, which places a runner on second base during extra innings to help shorten regular season games. There will be no "ghost runners" during the playoffs.
One of the biggest stories in baseball last year was Los Angeles Angels pitcher Shohei Ohtani, who many argue is helping to change the game. Not only was he effective as a pitcher, but he also excelled as a batsman, scoring a total of 46 home runs last year. He is only two home runs behind league leaders Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Salvador Pérez.
In response, MLB and the MLB Players Association agreed to tweak the universal designated hitter, allowing teams to assign their pitchers as the designated hitters, even when pulled from the mound. So even if a player like Ohtani is unable to finish the game as a pitcher, he can still continue to bat.
After some big deals, fans have new players to root for
Several teams will introduce new faces this season, as a flurry of off-season moves has seen clubs pay big cash. One of those teams is the Texas Rangers, who spent more than $500 million on three players at the start of free agency, adding Corey Seeger, Marcus Semien, and John Gray to their roster.
The New York Mets also spent big money this season by signing 37-year-old Max Schaezer on a three-year, $130 million deal. The team also brought in Marc Canaha, Eduardo Escobar and Starling Marte.
The World Series champion Atlanta Braves are looking to repeat this season after being traded for Oakland Athletics first baseman and Atlanta native Matt Olsson. This forced the team to move on from fan-favorite Freddie Freeman, who eventually joined the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Seattle Mariners will hope to end their 20-season playoff drought with the help of one of last season's best pitchers in Robbie Ray. He also brought in Cincinnati Reds All-Star Jesse Winker to help solidify his offense.
The Minnesota Twins also made a splash during the off-season by signing, arguably, the richest free-agent deal in franchise history, Carlos Correa.
Who can we expect to meet on Opening Day?
A potentially spicy Opening Day matchup is between the defending American League champion Houston Astros, who face last year's phenom Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Angels at 9:38 p.m. ET.
Another matchup to watch is the return of Albert Pujols to St. Louis, who signed him on a one-year contract to bring him back to the Cardinals. Louis was slated to open its season in Pittsburgh before the lockdown, but now opens at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Busch Stadium.
The World Series champions face the Cincinnati Reds at home, where the Braves will have a chance to lift last year's title banner and ring out on MLB's opening night against a team that has lost many of its own in an effort to cut payroll. The stars have been dropped.
The Mets take the Nationals in DC, while the Milwaukee Brewers will head to Wrigley Field to pick up the Cubs.
The newly minted Cleveland Guardians will begin their season in Kansas City, where they will take on the Royals. And the San Diego Padres will head to Arizona to face the Diamondbacks to help kick off an exciting opening day of baseball.