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(via Tampa Bay Rays Communications) - The Tampa Bay Rays have released their 2023 regular-season schedule, which begins with a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers (March 30–April 2). It will mark the second consecutive season and 13th time in 14 seasons the Rays will play at home on Opening Day. In coordination with Major League Baseball, all 30 major league clubs released their 2023 schedules today. The schedule is subject to change, and game times will be announced at a later date. The 2023 Rays season is presented by Bayfront Health St. Petersburg, the official health care partner of the Rays.
The Rays open their 25th Anniversary campaign against the Tigers, who they also faced at Tropicana Field in the club’s inaugural game. This will mark the third time the Rays face the Tigers on Opening Day, following March 31, 1998 (11-6 loss) and April 2, 2002 (9-5 win). The Rays are 13-12 all-time on Opening Day and 9-8 when they open at Tropicana Field.
Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement between Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association, clubs will play a more balanced schedule beginning with the 2023 season. Excluding the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, the Rays were scheduled for 18 or 19 games against each of their intradivision opponents from 2001-22. In 2023, the Rays are scheduled to face each AL East opponent 13 times, with two home series and two road series against each divisional foe.
Rather than limiting interleague games to one division, clubs will face every team in the other league each season and alternate home series annually. The Rays will continue their annual home-and-home series with the Miami Marlins and play a three-game series against the other 14 National League teams. As a result, the Rays have 46 interleague games on their 2023 schedule, compared to 20 interleague games during the 2013-22 seasons and 18 interleague games from 1999–2012.
The Rays are scheduled to host the Pittsburgh Pirates (May 2-4), Milwaukee Brewers (May 19-21), Los Angeles Dodgers (May 26-28), Philadelphia Phillies (July 4-6), Atlanta Braves (July 7-9), Marlins (July 25-26), St. Louis Cardinals (August 8-10) and Colorado Rockies (August 22-24). They will play interleague road series against the Washington Nationals (April 3-5), Cincinnati Reds (April 17-19), New York Mets (May 16-18), Chicago Cubs (May 29-31), San Diego Padres (June 16-18), Arizona Diamondbacks (June 27-29), San Francisco Giants (August 14-16) and Marlins (August 29-30). Following an off day on August 31, their final 28 games of the season will be against American League opponents, including 12 of their last 15 against the AL East. Their trips to San Diego (2004, 2019) and San Francisco (2002, 2019) will each be the third in club history.
The Rays have seven home games and six road games against the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays, while they have six home games and seven road games against the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees. The Rays have seven games against the Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners. They have six games against the Cleveland Guardians, Tigers, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Angels, Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers.
The Rays end the season on a five-game road trip to Boston (September 26-27) and Toronto (September 29–October 1).
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