Dodgers host Giants in marquee opening clash

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers will open the eagerly awaited 2020 season on July 23 at home as the first of a four-game series against the division-rival Giants, MLB announced on Monday. The game, Mookie Betts’ first as a Dodger that counts, will be televised by ESPN with first pitch at 7:08 p.m. PT.

As the only Summer Camp tune-ups, the Dodgers will play exhibition games at Dodger Stadium on July 19 and 20 against Arizona and July 21 against the Angels.

• Here is the Dodgers’ 2020 regular season schedule

The first road series for the Dodgers will be July 28 and 29 in Houston against the Astros, who beat the Dodgers in the 2017 World Series but also were disciplined for sign stealing that season. That will be followed with a series in Arizona against the D-backs.

The 60-game regular season will conclude with a six-game homestand against American League opponents Oakland and the Angels.

The Dodgers will play 40 division games against the Giants (seven home, three road), D-backs (three home, seven road), Padres (four home, six road) and Rockies (six home, four road). They will play the Angels six times in 2020 (three at Dodger Stadium, three at Angel Stadium), the Astros (two home, two road), Athletics (three home), Mariners (two home, two road) and Rangers (three road).

The first season in which games televised by SportsNet LA can be viewed on DirecTV will have the start time for home games moved up from 7:10 p.m. to 6:40 p.m. PT.

Two of the Dodgers’ Saturday games will be televised by FOX: July 25 against the Giants at 1 p.m. PT and Sept. 12 against Houston at 5 p.m. PT. ESPN will also televise the July 26 Dodgers-Giants game at 4 p.m.

The Dodgers also announced: “Based on the health circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic along with governmental directives prohibiting large gatherings, Dodger Stadium will be unable to host fans at the start of the season. At this time, the Dodgers are providing ticketholders with an account credit for 2020 tickets, parking and All-Star Week events, which along with a 10% bonus credit can be applied towards tickets and prepaid parking through the 2021 season. More information will be sent to ticketholders shortly, including instructions on how to request a refund. The organization remains optimistic, and should circumstances change to allow fans at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers will announce a ticketing policy at that time."