MLB 2020 schedule release: What you need to know about 60-game season

Baseball is back. Three glorious words.

After months of unsuccessful negotiating with the players' association, MLB has imposed a 2020 season and the two sides have agreed on health and safety protocols.

The new season will not, however, include a few of the rule changes you may have recently read about.

Here are all the details you need to know about baseball's shortened upcoming season.

When does the MLB regular season start?

Opening Day will be July 23, with two games taking place -- Yankees vs. Nationals and Giants vs. Dodgers. The Phillies will begin play on July 24. MLB will attempt to cram 60 games into about 66 days. Players reported to camp on July 1 for Spring Training II.

How many games?

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It will be a 60-game regular season. The league had proposed as few as 50 games and the players' association had proposed as many as 114. In the end, 60 was the number the league chose when it unilaterally implemented the 2020 season.

Given MLB's new coronavirus cases, the league's desire to play the postseason in October, and the length these negotiations took, a regular season much longer than 60 games was no longer feasible. But the players still rejected the league's 60-game proposal for a few important reasons.

Where is the Phillies' schedule?

The schedule was released on July 6, and the Phillies will open up at home July 24 against the Miami Marlins. They will play teams from the National League East and American League East during the shortened season. Each team will play 40 games against their own division and 20 games against their geographic counterparts in the other league.

MORE: 5 key series to watch for Phillies in 2020

Here is the full 2020 Phillies schedule, all times Eastern:

July

July 24 – Miami, 7:05
July 25 – Miami, 4:05
July 26 – Miami, 1:05
July 27 – New York Yankees, 7:05
July 28 – New York Yankees, 6:05
July 29 – at New York Yankees, 7:05
July 30 – at New York Yankees, 7:05
July 31 – at Toronto, 6:37

August

August 1 – at Toronto, 6:37
August 2 – at Toronto, 3:07
August 4 – at Miami, 7:10
August 5 – at Miami, 7:10
August 6 – at Miami, 7:10
August 7 – Atlanta, 7:05
August 8 – Atlanta, 6:05
August 9 – Atlanta, 1:05
August 10 – Atlanta, 6:05
August 11 – Baltimore, 7:05
August 12 – Baltimore, 7:05
August 13 – Baltimore, 4:05
August 14 – New York Mets, 7:05
August 15 – New York Mets, 6:05
August 16 – New York Mets, 1:05
August 18 – at Boston, 7:30
August 19 – at Boston, 7:30
August 21 – at Atlanta, 7:10
August 22 – at Atlanta, 7:10
August 23 – at Atlanta, 7:08
August 25 – at Washington, 6:05
August 26 – at Washington, 6:05
August 27 – at Washington, 7:15
August 28 – Atlanta, 7:05
August 29 – Atlanta, 1:15
August 30 – Atlanta, 7:08
August 31 – Washington, 7:05
September 1 – Washington, 7:05

September

September 2 – Washington, 7:05
September 3 – Washington, 4:05
September 4 – at New York Mets, 7:10
September 5 – at New York Mets, 7:10
September 6 – at New York Mets, 1:10
September 7 – at New York Mets, 1:10
September 8 – Boston, 7:05
September 9 – Boston, 4:05
September 10 – at Miami, 6:40
September 11 – at Miami, 7:10
September 12 – at Miami, 6:10
September 13 – at Miami, 1:10
September 15 – New York Mets, 7:05
September 16 – New York Mets, 7:05
September 17 – New York Mets, 7:05
September 18 – Toronto, 7:05
September 19 – Toronto, 6:05
September 20 – Toronto, tba
September 21 – at Washington, 6:05
September 22 – at Washington, 6:05
September 23 – at Washington, 6:05
September 25 – at Tampa Bay, 6:40
September 26 – at Tampa Bay, 6:40
September 27 – at Tampa Bay, 3:10

Will fans be allowed at MLB games? Where will games be played?

While games will be played in home ballparks, fans will not be permitted in the stands for the 2020 MLB season. The Phillies' entire schedule will be televised on NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBC Sports Philadelphia+, and NBC10, aside from exclusive national games.

What's the deal with Spring Training II?

For the Phillies, it takes place in Philadelphia at Citizens Bank Park and across the street at FDR Park. There will be a three-week period for intrasquad games and baseball activities. Pitchers need to rebuild stamina and hitters need to find their timing against live pitching.

What about the MLB playoff format?

The playoffs will not expand from 10 teams to 16 for the 2020 season. The expanded playoff field was a piece of previous proposals but is not part of the 2020 season the league is implementing.

This means the playoff field will remain the same as it did in 2019 — three division-winners and two wild-cards per league.

How much will players get paid?

Players will get their full prorated salaries for the 60-game regular season. A 60-game season is 37% of a normal 162-game season. A player making just over $25 million per year like Bryce Harper would make about $9.4 million. A player making $10 million like J.T. Realmuto would make $3.7 million.

Remember, too, that the league advanced the players $170 million as part of the March 26 agreement. It means that some players have already been paid the bulk of what they will be paid in 2020. Here is a breakdown of how that $170 million was distributed.

How large will expanded rosters be?

Rosters will expand to 30 active players to begin the season. That number drops to 28 after two weeks and to 26 after four weeks.

More players will be available via the taxi squad. Key Phillies minor-leaguers like Spencer Howard and Alec Bohm are expected to be with the big-league team. Without a minor-league season, young prospects will need somewhere to develop.

And the DH?

The designated hitter will be universal in 2020 as an added protective measure to help prevent pitcher injury. But the DH will not be universal in 2021, the final year of the current collective bargaining agreement. Beyond that CBA, we could see the DH stick for good.