(via Tampa Bay Rays Communications) - The Tampa Bay Rays have released their 2018 regular-season schedule, and for the ninth consecutive season will play at home on Opening Day as the Boston Red Sox will visit for a four-game series beginning on Thursday, March 29.
All 30 major league clubs released their 2018 schedules today. The Rays schedule is subject to change, and game times will be announced at a later date.
This will be the third time the Rays have hosted the Red Sox for their home opener, following March 31, 2003 (a 6-4, walk-off win) and April 5, 1999 (a 4-1 loss). It will also be the third time they have played the Red Sox on Opening Day, following April 7, 2009 (a 5-3 loss) and 2003. March 29 will mark the earliest the Rays have ever played their season opener, topping March 30, 2004, when they opened at the Tokyo Dome against the New York Yankees. It will also be the first time the Rays have played their season opener on a Thursday.
For the sixth consecutive season Tampa Bay will play 20 interleague games, and they will oppose all five teams from the National League East. The Rays are scheduled to host the Philadelphia Phillies (April 13-15), Atlanta Braves (May 8-9), Washington Nationals (June 25-26) and Miami Marlins (July 20-22). They will play interleague road series at Washington (June 5-6), Miami (July 2-4), the New York Mets (July 6-8) and Atlanta (August 28-29). The latter series will be their first-ever visit to SunTrust Park.
The Rays will play 19 games against each of their American League East rivals, the Red Sox, Yankees, Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays. They will play the home openers at three different ballparks: Tropicana Field, Yankee Stadium (April 2) and Fenway Park (April 5). The Rays schedule features 10 games against the Red Sox in the month of April, and 10 games vs. Toronto in the month of September.
The Rays will play seven games against the Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Minnesota Twins, Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners.
They will have six games apiece vs. the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers.
The Rays close out the 2018 home schedule with a seven-game homestand against the Yankees (September 24-27) and Blue Jays (September 28-30).
Season Tickets for 2018 are on sale now and may be purchased by calling 888-FAN-RAYS or online at raysbaseball.com/seasontickets.
Photo Courtesy Of Tampa Bay Rays