Steve Webb
LOS ANGELES, CA — Though the Dodgers have a lot of business to take care of in 2022, the eyes of Dodger fans have been temporarily diverted to 2023. On Wednesday, the team released the full 162-game schedule for next season, and it’s full of new thrills.
For the first time, every team will be playing every other team for at least one series. So, instead of having two inter-league series with all the teams in, say the American League Central (as the Dodgers are this year), the Dodgers will be seeing every team in the Junior Circuit at least once. To accommodate this change, there will be fewer games played within each team’s division, thus creating a more balance schedule all the way around.
So instead of the 19 games with the rival Giants, as we’ve had for a while now, there will be only 13, freeing up six games on the schedule for these extra inter-league games. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the Dodgers will host each team. For example, the Dodgers and Red Sox have their lone series of the year in August at Fenway Park.
However, there will be some big name teams that we haven’t seen for a while rolling into town. The Yankees will play at Dodger Stadium in June, as will the Astros* and the White Sox. Vlad, Jr. and the Blue Jays play at the Ravine in July. So, there are a few marquee match-ups that should be worth watching.
The whole idea is for baseball fans to be able to see their favorite players at a minimum of every other year in their home stadium.
Not sure how it will play out. It will certainly lessen the intensity of the rivalry games, as their will be less familiarity with each team. But, it might heighten the importance of each game in the division, as teams will have fewer opportunities to make up ground quickly in head to head match-ups.
The Dodgers open up their 2023 campaign with a series against the Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Opening Day is March 30, 2023. The season will end with a series with the rival Giants in San Francisco on September 29 to October 1. The entire schedule can be accessed here.
See ya at the ballpark!
