MLB season to open April 3; Mets-Royals among openers

NEW YORK (AP) The Kansas City Royals will host the New York Mets in an opening-day interleague matchup next season.

Major League Baseball announced on Tuesday the season will open with a Sunday night game on April 3 with teams to be named later.

Thirteen games are scheduled for April 4, with the Mets-Royals matchup joined by Philadelphia at Cincinnati, Washington at Atlanta in Turner Field's last opener, Colorado at Arizona, Minnesota at Baltimore, Boston at Cleveland, San Francisco at Milwaukee, Houston at the New York Yankees, the Chicago White Sox at Oakland, St. Louis at Pittsburgh, the Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego, Toronto at Tampa Bay and Seattle at Texas.

The openers on April 5 include the Chicago Cubs at the Los Angeles Angels and Detroit at Miami.

San Diego will play at Toronto for the first time from July 25-27; the Padres-Blue Jays at Rogers Centre is the only site matchup that hasn't taken place since interleague play started in 1997.

The regular season is scheduled to end Oct. 2 with 12 games involving division rivals.