FINALLY!! ASTROS AND RANGERS TO OPEN 2020 SEASON

The Houston Astros and Texas Rangers will open the long-awaited 2020 season, tonight at home.

The Astros will host Seattle at Minute Maid Park, beginning at 8:10 on AM-1280 KWHI and FM 101.7.  Astro Launch begins at 7:35.

The Astros enter the season the odds-on favorite to take the AL West and one of the top picks to go to their third World Series in four years.

The Astros will send last year’s Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander (21-6, 2019) up against the Mariners’ Marco Gonzales (16-13).

Meanwhile, the Rangers will host the Colorado Rockies in the first regular season game at the brand new Globe Life Field.

Texas will send Lance Lynn (16-11 in 2019) to the hill against Colorado’s German Marquez (12-5).  First pitch is set for 7:05.

LAST NIGHT
NY YANKEES 4     WASHINGTON 1
LOS ANGELES 8     SAN FRANCISCO 1

Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association agreed Thursday to expand the playoffs from 10 teams to 16 teams for the 2020 season.

All second-place teams in the six divisions will now qualify for the playoffs. The seventh and eighth playoff teams in each league will be determined by best record.

The first round of the playoffs, scheduled for Sept. 29-Oct. 2, will be four three-game series in each league with all games played at the higher seed's home stadium. The rest of the rounds will be their customary length: The two division series in each league will be five-game series, while the American League and National League Championship Series and World Series will be seven-game series.