Major League Baseball has announced the Phillies and the league’s season schedule for 2023. Typically the scheduling news isn’t the most exciting thing happening during this part of the baseball season, but with a new and improved design, checking out the Phillies slate for 2023 gets a little more interesting.
The most significant change moving forward is that every team will play at least one series against each other this season. Interleague play has expanded from a handful of series throughout the schedule to include a matchup against every opponent.
From now on, the Phillies will play every Major League club at least once while still facing off against their League and Divisional rivals.
NL East Changes
Baseball needed to make a change to create space to play with other opponents. The change that was made was the number of divisional games played.
Instead of playing 19 games against the Braves, Mets, Marlins, and Nationals, now the Phillies will play 13 games against each rival. This will drastically shake up how each division is won, and the divisional games will mean slightly more than they did before.
This change should benefit the Phillies going forward. The Phillies saw themselves run over by the Mets this season and have thus far split with the Atlanta Braves. This change does mean they will play fewer games against the Nationals, a team they have owned in recent seasons.
Big Game Feel
Another important change that the MLB made was to guarantee every team plays on important days. Starting in 2023, every team will play on Opening Day, Jackie Robinson Day, Lou Gerhig Day, July 4th, Roberto Clemente Day, and Game 162. These dates that hold so much weight to players and fans will now get the maximum amount of baseball action possible.
Phillies Schedule and Big Dates for 2023
The Phillies will open up and close their 2023 season on the road next season. They open things up in Texas and take on the Rangers to start their quest for the playoffs again. The Phils will end their season in Queens, taking on their bitter rivals, the New York Mets, to wrap up the regular season.
The Phillies’ home opener will take place on April 6th, a Thursday, against the Cincinnati Reds. The team welcomes the Seattle Mariners to town April 25th-27th, which should be a fun matchup. The Los Angeles Angels will be back in Philly August 28th-30th, and fans will watch Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani again.
The Phillies will take on the Washington Nationals in the Little League Classic on August 20th in Williamsport, PA. The Phillies will be considered the road team in this neutral site game.
Planning Ahead
Another thing to look out for is a change in start time. It seems as though the Phillies are looking to start more weekday games at 6:40 PM EST. This was something the club experimented with earlier this season and looks like it will continue into 2023.
You can start planning your days at Citizens Bank Park and even road trips to travel with the team for next season. The 2023 season may seem far away, but it will sneak up on us before we know it. Let’s hope the Phillies carry their momentum and success into next year and continue to grow on it.
Photo Credit: AP Photo/Matt Slocum
