MLB announces earliest ever Opening Day for 2027, Wrigley Field All-Star Game amid labor uncertainty

Major League Baseball just wrapped up the 2026 All-Star Game in Philadelphia, which means it’s already time to look ahead to next year’s game and schedule.

MLB announced the full 2027 season schedule on Thursday afternoon, with a few notable changes from past years. Instead of the traditional late March-early April timeframe, next season will open on March 24 with one single game between two yet-to-be-determined teams.

That’s the earliest date, not including international games, in baseball history. And after Netflix hosted the recently completed Home Run Derby, it’s set to host that exclusive Opening Night game as well, which may not be the best outcome if the league is trying to attract the largest audience, considering the mediocre ratings the derby brought in.

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But perhaps most importantly, this new Opening Day schedule raises some serious questions and potential issues for the league, players and the owners. Namely, what happens if there’s a lockout? Particularly one that isn’t resolved quickly?

Nearly everyone on all sides agrees that baseball, finally, has momentum and growth on its side. Interest is up, ratings are up, attendance is up. The one thing that could jeopardize it? If baseball misses games. And with the expiration of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the owners and MLB Players Association on Dec. 1, that’s a very real possibility.

The two sides, while seemingly not as far apart as originally feared, are nowhere close to an agreement. Owners have pushed a, frankly laughable, ad campaign out saying the sport needs to “level the field” with a salary cap, all while the $69 million dollar Marlins are 12 games ahead of the $370 million Mets. As just one example. Players, though, have long said they will never accept a cap system, as it limits their earning potential arbitrarily to protect ownership.

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That’s a fundamental disagreement about the future of the sport, and this early opening date compresses the number of days available for the two sides to find a compromise. Not just because it’s March 24, but because players would need a spring training of some kind to be ready for the regular season. The last lockout delayed the start of the regular season a week, but that was from March 31 to April 7. In 2027 they’ll have one less week to negotiate before delaying games or canceling them.

That may be a good thing, however, if it forces the two groups to come to the table more frequently. Just imagine, though, if owners tell the players the game is broken and small markets have no hope after the Milwaukee Brewers or Miami Marlins win the 2026 World Series. Competitive balance indeed.

Assuming that the two sides do come together and get a deal done quickly, the 2027 All-Star Game will return to one of baseball’s cathedrals: Wrigley Field.

Historically one of the sport’s best places for dramatic home runs, Wrigley will be a fantastic setting for the Home Run Derby. And the home Chicago crowd has already got a hometown star and fan favorite Pete Crow-Armstrong excited.

“It’s going to be crazy,” he said, per MLB.com. “Wrigleyville is fun Monday through Sunday,” he said to reporters at the media day event ahead of this year’s All-Star Game. “I’m interested to see how packed it is, how hard it ends up being trying to get around. But knowing [Cubs chairman Tom] Ricketts and our front office and the people that will probably have a big hand in planning that, I’m sure it’ll be great. Wrigley’s a beautiful ballpark, and I’m glad that it’ll be on display for everybody to see.”

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Wrigley, as always, will make for a fantastic showcase for the sport and the game’s stars. Assuming there is a 2027 MLB season, of course. And there better be, if the league doesn’t want to cost itself millions, if not billions, by alienating fans permanently.