BRISTOL, Conn. -- ESPN's early-season baseball schedule will be the Sho Show, as Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers will be featured on two of ESPN's first three "Sunday Night Baseball" telecasts this season.
ESPN will open its Sunday night schedule with the Dodgers' home game against the St. Louis Cardinals on March 31 and will televise the Dodgers' home game against the San Diego Padres on April 14, the network said Wednesday. ESPN also selected the Dodgers' June 9 game at the New York Yankees for its Sunday schedule of games, which start shortly after 7 p.m. ET.
The Dodgers' opening two games of the season, a two-game series against the Padres in Seoul, South Korea, on March 20 and 21, were also assigned to ESPN as an MLB special event.
Ohtani left the Los Angeles Angels last month to sign a record 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers. The two-way star is expected to be a regular designated hitter but won't pitch following elbow ligament surgery.
Other Sunday night picks include the World Series champion Texas Rangers hosting the Houston Astros on April 7 in a rematch of last year's American League Championship Series, the Rangers at the Atlanta Braves on April 21, the Chicago Cubs at the Boston Red Sox on April 28, the Cubs at the Cardinals on May 26 and the Yankees at the Red Sox on June 16. MLB previously announced that ESPN will televise the Little League Classic game involving the Yankees and Detroit Tigers on Aug. 18 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.