Orioles opening in Boston as part of shortened season

A baseball season cut down to 60 games will start for the Orioles later this month in Boston.

Major League Baseball released the schedules tonight and the Orioles are going to play the Red Sox in a three-game series that begins July 24. First pitch for the opener is 7:30 p.m. They won't return to Camden Yards until completing a two-game series against the Marlins in Miami.

The first home game is July 29 against the Marlins, with the starting time set at 7:05 p.m.

The coronavirus pandemic has created the latest opening day in baseball history.

The Orioles will play 60 games in 66 days through Sept. 27, when they finish the season in Toronto as part of a two-city road trip that also includes Boston. They will spend a week in New York earlier in the month for two games against the Mets and four versus the Yankees.

They'll host both teams back-to-back before heading to New York.

The Sept. 6 game against the Yankees at Camden Yards marks the 25th anniversary of Cal Ripken Jr.'s historic 2,131st consecutive game played. The Orioles also will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment on Aug. 18 against the Blue Jays.

The first homestand consists of two games against the Marlins, three against the Rays and three versus the Yankees. An off-day is followed by three games against the Nationals in D.C.

Every game for the Orioles will be played in the Eastern time zone - 40 within the division and 20 in the National League East - and air on the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) and the Orioles Radio Network, including flagship station 105.7 The Fan.

"O's Xtra" will air on MASN before and after each game.

The Orioles were supposed to open at home against the Yankees on March 26. They haven't started a season in Boston since 1966, sweeping a two-game series en route to their first World Series title.

Left-hander John Means is expected to be the starting pitcher on opening day.

Fans won't be permitted inside ballparks at the start of the season. The Orioles will continue to comply with local laws and orders while adhering to the guidelines set in place by public health professionals and will work with Major League Baseball to closely monitor this rapidly evolving situation. Policy updates regarding attendance will be communicated to fans if and when they become available.

Three exhibition games will be played from July 19-21 before the regular season. The Orioles will travel to Philadelphia, host the Nationals and travel to D.C. The games begin at 6:05 p.m. and won't be carried by MASN or the Orioles Radio Network.