Phils open season at home vs. pesky Marlins
PHILADELPHIA -- The Phillies will open the 2020 season on July 24 against a 2019 nemesis.
They will play the Marlins in a three-game series at Citizens Bank Park. Theoretically, it should be a nice opening for the Phillies because Miami lost a National League-leading 105 games last season. But the Marlins went 10-9 against the Phillies, who limped into a fourth-place finish in the NL East because of it.
The Phillies follow the Marlins with a home-and-home series against the Yankees, playing two games at Citizens Bank Park and two games at Yankee Stadium.
• Here is the Phillies' 2020 regular-season schedule
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the season has been reduced to 60 games from the traditional 162. The Phillies will play 30 games at home, although no fans will be admitted to the ballpark this season because of the coronavirus. Every game will be televised, with a local-broadcast schedule to be announced later. The Phillies said they will appear on national TV four times: Aug. 23 and Aug. 30 against the Braves on ESPN, and FOX will carry Phillies games on Aug. 27 against the Nationals and Aug. 29 against the Braves.
The Phillies will play only teams in the NL East (40 games) and American League East (20 games) to reduce travel.
Here's an opponent-by-opponent breakdown:
National League East
Braves (10): seven at home, three on the road
Marlins (10): three at home, seven on the road
Mets (10): six at home, four on the road
Nationals (10): four at home, six on the road
American League East
Blue Jays (6): three at home, three on the road
Orioles (3): all at home
Rays (3): all on the road
Red Sox (4): two at home, two on the road
Yankees (4): two at home, two on the road
The Phillies have a chance to get off to a good start. They have the fifth-easiest strength of schedule through Aug. 6, according to 2019 records, as opponents had a .454 winning percentage through that date. Only the Reds (.437), Cubs (.445), Cardinals (.445) and Royals (.451) have an easier start to their schedule.
But the Phillies' schedule will be more difficult down the stretch. They play 20 games in 20 days from Aug. 25-Sept. 13, against the Nationals (seven games), Braves (three games), Mets (four games), Red Sox (two games) and Marlins (four games).
The Phillies will finish the regular season with six-game road trip through Washington and Tampa Bay. The final day of the regular season is Sept. 27, against the Rays at Tropicana Field.