2020 Dodgers Schedule Breakdown: Opponents, Road Trips & More Analysis

After failed negotiations between MLB and the Players Association, commissioner Rob Manfred moved to impose a shortened schedule for the 2020 regular season. With all teams playing 60 games, schedules were set by divisional play and facing opponents from the opposite league’s division.

For the Los Angeles Dodgers, they are due to play 40 games against the National League West, and 20 games with American League West opponents. That of course will amount to Interleague play with the Houston Astros and the annual Freeway Series against the L.A. Angels.

The Dodgers will only face the Oakland Athletics at Dodger Stadium, and their lone series with the Texas Rangers will come at the new Globe Life Park.

“I know our fans were looking forward to getting those guys here, but we’re going to be at their place (first),” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of facing the Astros. “Sans fans, so it’s going to be a different environment. I’m just expecting to play good baseball against a good ballclub.”

The Dodgers begin their season Thursday by hosting the San Francisco Giants in the opener a four-game series. L.A. wraps up their 2020 regular-season slate with a six-game homestand, the final game coming Sept. 27.

In between Opening Day and the end of the regular season are intriguing matchups, three road trips of at least six games, and more. L.A. has three off days in both August and September.

July and August games

The Dodgers’ 2020 schedule begins with a heavy does of NL West opponents. Eleven of their first 13 games come within the division, which could ultimately loom large for the postseason picture. This stretch also entails a nine-game road trip, which is the Dodgers’ longest of the year.

After opening against the Giants and facing the Astros at Minute Maid Park, the Dodgers then see the Arizona Diamondbacks (four games) and San Diego Padres (three games).

The Dodgers get a day off on Aug. 6 as they return home to again face the Giants and Padres. It doesn’t stand beyond reason to believe the NL West may very well be decided or taking shape upon the Dodgers completing a seven-game homestand on Aug. 13.

August also sees one of the stranger quirks in the schedule, as the Dodgers and Seattle Mariners play a two-game series at Dodger Stadium from Aug. 17-18, then play two more games at T-Mobile Park from Aug. 19-20.

MLB arranged the schedule based on regions in effort to limit travel amid player health and safety concerns, which makes that four-day stretch all the more peculiar. Particularly with the Dodgers immediately returning home to play a weekend series with the Colorado Rockies.

That is followed by a six-game road trip for matchups with the Giants and Rangers to close out the month.

September games

If the NL West hasn’t yet been determined by the final month of the regular season, the first 10 days of September could be judgment time. The Dodgers host the Diamondbacks and Rockies for three games each, then play another three at Chase Field.

The Astros make their visit to Dodger Stadium from Sept. 12-13, and after that the Dodgers begin their final road trip of the season: seven games to face the Padres and Rockies. The late-season visit to Coors Field could prove problematic in more ways than one, which makes it all the more imperative the Dodgers secure postseason positioning by then.

They will get to enjoy what appears a soft closing to the 2020 schedule, with six games at home, split evenly between the Oakland Athletics and Angels.

Dodgers 2020 schedule and results