The first games of the MLB regular season will have a different look than usual.
This year, we will have the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers squaring off in Seoul, South Korea.
These games will count as any regular season game would, they will just be played across the globe.
It will be the first chance to see the new-look Dodgers lineup.
You can bet they will have Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman batting 1-2-3 in their order.
But the Padres have announced who those three will be facing in their first game.
According to the Padres on Twitter, Yu Darvish will get the Opening Day start.
Yu know what Opening Day is? It's @faridyu Day. pic.twitter.com/XSHAmP3e9o
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) March 11, 2024
Darvish has been a good starter for a long time and he is healthy to begin the season.
Last season, Darvish only threw 136.1 innings with an ERA of 4.56.
The Padres hope he is in for a bounce-back year.
Looking across the NL West, the Padres seem like the clear third-best team.
The Dodgers are once again at the top followed by the reigning NL Champion Arizona Diamondbacks.
It will be tough for the Padres to make the playoffs in the NL as they will have to fight for a Wild Card spot.
But, starting the season against the Dodgers will be a good litmus test for them.
Over a 162-game season, anything can happen.
That is why the Padres should have hope in their team.
They still have Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado.
Even if their roster is not as good as last season they should firmly be in the Wild Card hunt.
NEXT: Manny Machado Closing In On Elite Padres Record