Indians Announce Opening Day Festivities Prior to Friday's Game Against K.C.

It will be very different the first time the Indians take the field on Friday in their opener against the Royals. With no fans in the stands it will be an opener like never before in the history of the franchise. Even with no fans the team has moved forward with announcing festivities prior to the 7:10pm first pitch.

Friday’s opening day will be vastly different and not like any opening day in the history of Major League Baseball or the Cleveland Indians.

The Tribe will open up with a 7:10pm first pitch against the Kansas City Royals, Shane Bieber will toe the rubber for the Indians against Danny Duffy for the Royals.

The Indians announced today their opening day festivities that will take place at Progressive Field despite the fact there will not be fans in the stands.

The team will have a ceremonial first pitch, and it will be pre-recorded. Aleta Wissner, a Cleveland Clinic caregiver from the Fairview Hospital Med/Surg COVID-19 unit will get the honors of throwing out the pitch to start the season.

The National Anthem as well as God Bless America will also pre-recorded and will be performed by the Cleveland Orchestra.

The “Play Ball” intro sponsored by Frito Lay will be pre-taped from some of Cleveland Clinic’s frontline heroes.

The team also announced there will also be pregame moments for social justice initiatives and a moment of silence for lives lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.