Having previously announced they would telecast matchups on Opening Day and April 5 against the San Francisco Giants, ESPN selected the Los Angeles Dodgers for additional Sunday Night Baseball broadcasts through August.
After the early-season appearances, the Dodgers are next scheduled to be part of the weekly ESPN broadcast on May 31, when they conclude a three-game series with the New York Mets at Citi Field. First pitch for the series finale is set for 4 p.m. PT.
ESPN Sunday Night Baseball telecasts are not subject to local blackout restrictions.
When the network carried a game between the Dodgers and Mets this past season, L.A. rallied in the eighth and ninth innings for a 3-2 victory to conclude their road trip.
The Dodgers’ fourth ESPN appearance of the 2020 regular season is set for Thursday, July 16, when they host the Giants in MLB’s second half opener. That of course will come days after Dodger Stadium served as the backdrop for All-Star Game festivities.
Although L.A. faces a busy week as the host of the Midsummer Classic, they conclude the unofficial first half of the season with a pair of games against the L.A. Angels in Anaheim and have the final Sunday before the All-Star break off.
When ESPN announced their first slate of telecasts for the 2020 season, it called for 14 national broadcasts and 17 teams over the first 11 days. Included in that is a tripleheader on Opening Day.
The Dodgers have long been a draw for national broadcasts on ESPN and in particular their flagship Sunday Night Baseball broadcasts. Former outfielder Andre Ethier was hypercritical of the TV schedule, arguing it can put a traveling team at a disadvantage.
His theory seemed to be supported by the Dodgers having the start time of a series finale at Coors Field changed to early evening because it was selected for a Sunday Night Baseball broadcast. They finished off a sweep of the Colorado Rockies but then lost four in a row to the St. Louis Cardinals.
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