MLB’s 2018 season will start in March

The 2018 Major League Baseball season will begin March 29, the earliest start in the sport’s history excluding international openers. All teams will play on opening day for the first time since 1968, the last year before the American and National Leagues split into divisions, the commissioner’s office said Tuesday. As part of the sport’s new labour contract, each team’s 162 games are scheduled over 186 days, up from 183. The change was made to create more offdays. Pittsburgh at Detroit is the lone interleague opener. The Toronto Blue Jays host the New York Yankees, while the Seattle Mariners open at home against Cleveland. The Jays make their annual visit to Seattle Aug. 2-5. The All-Star Game is July 17 in Washington and the regular season is scheduled to end Sept. 30.