{"numbering":"asc","slides":[{"index":1,"title":"","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2019/08/12/usatsi_13014529.jpg","caption":"

The 2020 Major League Baseball regular season schedule was announced Monday, and Boston Red Sox fans are in for a treat.

In addition to the usual helping of exciting games against the New York Yankees and other American League rivals, the Red Sox also will play some of the most historic franchises in the National League.

Let's take a look at the must-see games and opponents from Boston's 2020 schedule.

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"},{"index":3,"title":"Early road travels","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2019/08/12/usatsi_12669036.jpg","caption":"

The Red Sox play 14 of their opening 20 games (including the first seven) on the road. This stretch includes West Coast road trips to play the Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners. Boston opens the season March 26 with a four-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Sox close April with a six-game road trip against the Blue Jays and Minnesota Twins.

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"},{"index":5,"title":"Home Opener","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2019/08/12/usatsi_11369414.jpg","caption":"

The Red Sox home opener is April 2 against the Chicago White Sox at Fenway Park. It will be the sixth time the Red Sox host the White Sox in their Fenway opener, and the first such instance since 1999.

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"},{"index":7,"title":"A historic return","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2019/08/12/usatsi_12947847_133468180_lowres_0.jpg","caption":"

The St. Louis Cardinals will forever be a major part of Red Sox history. After losing to the Cardinals in the 1946 and 1967 World Series, the Red Sox finally broke their 86-year course by sweeping St. Louis in the 2004 Fall Classic. The Sox beat the Cardinals again in 2013, winning the clinching Game 6 at Fenway Park. The Cardinals will return to Fenway Park in late June for the first time since 2017.

Photo via USA TODAY Sports

"},{"index":9,"title":"Plenty of late-season games vs. the Yankees","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2019/08/12/usatsi_12943358.jpg","caption":"

The Yankees and Red Sox don't play in April, and they have only one three-game series against each other in May (at Yankee Stadium) and June (at Fenway Park). The remaning 13 games take place after the All-Star break, which is ideal because you want these matchups to mean something in the playoff races. Here's a look at the dates for all of the games in baseball's most historic rivalry:

May 8-10 (at NYY)
June 12-14 (at BOS)
July 24-26 (at NYY)
July 30 to Aug 2 (at BOS)
Aug 31 to Sept. 2 (at BOS)
Sept. 8-10 (at NYY)

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"},{"index":11,"title":"Red Sox at Wrigley Field","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2019/08/12/usatsi_13165107_133468180_lowres_0.jpg","caption":"

The Red Sox made their Wrigley Field debut in 2005, and they'll return to the historic ballpark for a three-game series June 19-21. Boston last played at Wrigley Field in 2012. These teams are two of the oldest in Major League Baseball, and the last playoff series between them was the 1918 World Series. The Red Sox defeated the Cubs in six games, but none of the games played in Chicago were at Wrigley Field -- they were hosted by Comiskey Park.

Photo via USA TODAY Sports

"},{"index":13,"title":"July 4 in Pittsburgh","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2019/08/12/usatsi_11095390_133468180_lowres_0.jpg","caption":"

The Red Sox will spend July 4 weekend (July 3-5) at the beautiful PNC Park in Pittsburgh for a three-game series against the Pirates.

Photo via USA TODAY Sports

"},{"index":15,"title":"Tough month of June","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2019/08/12/alex_cora_arguing_072419.jpg","caption":"

The Red Sox will play 25 games in June, and the quality of competition is high. Boston has nine interleague games in the month, including matchups with good teams such as the Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals. The Red Sox also play a couple of the American League's best teams in the Cleveland Indians, Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees. We should learn quite a bit about the 2020 Red Sox by the time June wraps up.

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"},{"index":17,"title":"Interleague Play","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2019/08/12/usatsi_12952313.jpg","caption":"

The Red Sox will play Interleague games against the five NL Central teams and the Atlanta Braves of the NL East.

Here's a look at all of Boston's interleague matchups:

May 12-13 (at Braves)
June 5-7 (vs. Brewers)
June 16-17 (vs. Braves)
June 19-21 (at Cubs)
June 26-28 (vs. Cardinals)
July 3-5 (at Pirates)
Aug. 18-19 (vs. Reds)
Sept. 15-16 (at Reds)

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"},{"index":19,"title":"Longest road trip","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2019/08/12/usatsi_12770254.jpg","caption":"

The Red Sox's longest road trip is Aug. 20 through Aug. 30. It's a 10-game stretch with matchups versus the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles.

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"},{"index":21,"title":"Closing the season at Fenway","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2019/08/12/usatsi_12502217.jpg","caption":"

The Red Sox close the 2020 regular season with six consecutive games at Fenway Park. Boston hosts the Toronto Blue Jays from Sept. 22 through Sept. 24 before three final games versus the Baltimore Orioles from Sept. 25 through Sept. 27.

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"}]}

2020 MLB schedule: Must-see opponents, games for Boston Red Sox