MLB 2020 begins on BT Sport with a mouth-watering double header featuring New York Yankees and 2019 World Series winners Washington Nationals

Baseball will become the first major American sport to return to competitive action when the new season starts this evening with a double bill of live MLB action. 

MLB makes its return mid-summer having been forced to shutdown in mid-March due to the outbreak of Covid-19.

The long-awaited Opening Night sees reigning World Series champions Washington Nationals host the New York Yankees live on BT Sport 1HD from midnight tonight.

That game is followed up by live coverage of the San Francisco Giants versus the Los Angeles Dodgers in a superb double-header to get things underway.

The Dodgers will start the campaign as pre-season favourites to win the World Series for a third time in four years.

BT Sport is pleased to announce we will be showing no fewer than 160 live games throughout the regular season until 27 September, at which point our coverage of the post-season gets under way.

In fact, from 23 July until 2 August, British baseball fans can enjoy 30 live games plus insight and analysis from our weekly Caps Off team, available to watch on BT.com/sport and via the BT Sport app. 

What would normally mark the start of a 162-game marathon for MLB's 30 clubs, will instead be a 60-game regular season sprint to the play-offs with a few new tweaks to account for the ongoing pandemic.

In an effort to speed up play and prevent overtaxing pitchers, extra-inning play will begin with a runner on second base.

Both leagues will use the designated hitter for the 2020 season. In addition, all relief pitchers are required to face a minimum of three batters unless the inning ends.

Players and team members not participating in the game must sit at least six feet apart in the stands.

Baseballs will be discarded after they have been touched by several athletes, while post-game showers are being discouraged.

Players will have their temperature checked throughout the day and will be tested for COVID-19 multiple times per week.

If an athlete tests positive, they must quarantine immediately and cannot return to the diamond without two negative tests.  

Full list of MLB 2020 teams

National League

East
Atlanta Braves
Miami Marlins
New York Mets
Philadelphia Phillies
Washington Nationals

Central
Chicago Cubs
Cincinnati Reds
Milwaukee Brewers
Pittsburgh Pirates
St. Louis Cardinals

West
Arizona Diamondbacks
Colorado Rockies
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Diego Padres
San Francisco Giants

American League

East
Baltimore Orioles
Boston Red Sox
New York Yankees
Tampa Bay Rays
Toronto Blue Jays

Central
Chicago White Sox
Cleveland Indians
Detroit Tigers
Kansas City Royals
Minnesota Twins

West
Houston Astros
Los Angeles Angels
Oakland Athletics
Seattle Mariners
Texas Rangers

BT Sport is the exclusive live home of MLB in the UK and to make sure you don't miss an innings, click here to compare the range of packages we have on offer.