May 1, 2023 – Following Stars Week featuring Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout and Aaron Judge, MLB Network will launch Rivalry Week beginning today with the Atlanta Braves vs. New York Mets at 1 p.m. ET. Rivalry games will be featured throughout the week, with MLB Network’s variety of studio programs – MLB Central (9am ET) High Heat (11am), MLB Now (12pm), Off Base (4pm) Intentional Talk (5pm) MLB Tonight (6pm) and Quick Pitch (1am) – heightening the discourse with analysis, breakdowns, and debate. Montages of the best moments from the different rivalries will be interspersed throughout the studio programming and across MLB Network’s social platforms. Participants of the rivalries from years past will join the studio programming to discuss and preview the action ahead. To preview the Houston – Seattle series, former Mariners All-Star Harold Reynolds will be live from Seattle’s T-Mobile Park this Friday, May 5 at 6 p.m. ET for MLB Tonight.

To preview the week, MLB Central co-host Mark DeRosa, who played in some fierce rivalries across his 16-year Major League career, says, “You definitely notice the difference in rivalry games. Everyone is a little more energized, focused and dialed in on every pitch. The intensity inside the park from the fans filters down to the players on the field, which makes for an awesome atmosphere.”

RIVALRY WEEK ON MLB NETWORK:

• Monday, May 1 - Atlanta Braves New York Mets at 1 p.m. ET
• Atlanta and New York play the first game of today’s doubleheader in their first series of 2023, following the Braves overtaking the Mets during the final regular season weekend of 2022 to win the NL East.
• Friday, May 5 – Los Angeles Dodgers San Diego Padres at 9:30 p.m. ET
• Los Angeles and San Diego meet for the first time in 2023 after Padres defeated the 111-win Dodgers to win the 2022 NLDS in four games. Since the start of 2020, the Dodgers have won 32 of 48 regular season meetings against the Padres, including 14 of 19 last season.
• Saturday, May 6 – New York Yankees Tampa Bay Rays at 4 p.m. ET (Joined In Progress)
• Ever since CC Sabathia and Jesus Sucre ratcheted the passion up between New York and Tampa Bay in September 2018, the intensity continues to build. New York looks to slow down the Rays’ historic start to the season during their first series of the year.
• Saturday, May 6 – Houston Astros Seattle Mariners at 9:30 p.m. ET (Joined In Progress)
• Featuring their first series in 2023, Seattle looks to change the tide against Houston, as the Astros are 60-29 against the Mariners since the start of 2018, including last year’s ALDS sweep. It was one of the closet Division Series in recent memory, despite the sweep with the Astros posting a +4 run differential across the three games.

In addition to the rivalry games, the Casamigos Tequila MLB Network Showcase has Matt Vasgersian (play-by-play), Tom Verducci (analyst) and Jon Morosi (reporter) calling an AL East tilt featuring the Toronto Blue Jays vs. Boston Red Sox this Wednesday, May 3 at 7 p.m. ET. MLB Network’s live game schedule through Tuesday, May 9 is available here.