Matchups

Houston Astros left-hander Dallas Keuchel followed up a Cy Young Award campaign last year with a dominant performance against the New York Yankees in the American League wild-card game. The Astros' ace will be on the mound in the Bronx again on Opening Day as Houston begins a three-game series with the Yankees on Monday.

Madison Bumgarner makes his third consecutive Opening Day start when the San Francisco Giants began their pursuit of another title by visiting the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday. San Francisco won the World Series in each of the last three even-numbered seasons while Bumgarner has emerged as one of the top pitchers in the game.

The Minnesota Twins are counting on the kids to anchor the lineup while the Baltimore Orioles went heavy on veteran sluggers in the offseason to try to keep pace in the American League East. Each team will get a look at its strategy in action when they Orioles host the Twins on Monday in the season opener.

Felix Hernandez has experienced a lot of change during his brilliant 11-year career with the Seattle Mariners, although one thing has remained the same: no postseason appearances. The six-time All-Star will begin the arduous task of trying to end his team's 15-year playoff drought Monday when the Mariners visit the Texas Rangers in the season opener for both teams.

Fresh off a third last-place finish in four years, the Boston Red Sox went out over the winter and did something they refused to do the previous winter by shelling out big money for a free-agent starting pitcher. David Price will make his team debut when the Red Sox visit the Cleveland Indians on Monday for opening day.

The Washington Nationals are not the overwhelming favorite to win the National League East this season, and that might be a good thing considering how badly Washington handled those expectations a season ago. With new manager Dusty Baker at the helm and reigning NL MVP Bryce Harper anchoring a talented lineup, the Nationals open the 2016 season Monday at the Atlanta Braves looking to return to the postseason – and put last year’s shortcomings behind them.

After finishing with the two worst records in baseball last season, the Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds are ready to begin a new campaign in hopes of more success. The Phillies visit the Reds on Monday in the first of three games between the teams that will pick first and second in this year's amateur draft.

The injury bug has already hit the Los Angeles Dodgers, who will be without several starters Monday as they open the 2016 season against the host San Diego Padres. Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts will be without catcher Yasmani Grandal, second baseman Howie Kendrick and left fielder Andre Ethier, but he has ace Clayton Kershaw on the mound for his managerial debut.

Edwin Encarnacion didn’t need much action in the spring to find his form in the regular-season opener for the Toronto Blue Jays, knocking in a pair of runs with two hits. The veteran designated hitter will try to add some more production as the Blue Jays go for two in a row against the host Tampa Bay Rays on Monday in the second contest of their four-game series.

The Arizona Diamondbacks were one of the top offensive teams in the National League last season and could also sport one of the best pitching staffs thanks to their strong offseason as they host the Colorado Rockies on Monday. Arizona, which finished second in the NL in runs scored in 2015, added Zack Greinke via free agency and Shelby Miller in a trade with Atlanta to a staff that also includes Patrick Corbin, who is priming for his first full season since 2013 because of Tommy John surgery.

Roster turnover was inevitable when the Chicago White Sox finished last season with the American League's worst offense, wasting another fine year from Chris Sale. The record-setting southpaw figures to benefit from more run support in 2016 and looks to take advantage of it beginning Monday when the retooled White Sox travel to Oakland on Opening Day to start a four-game set with the Athletics.

Chicago Cubs fans have been waiting for next year since 1908, but the return of a talented young nucleus from last season’s team that reached the National League Championship Series and the addition of several high-profile free agents has propelled high expectations that this finally could be the year the Cubs end their drought. They’ll begin that quest against another team with high hopes when they open a two-game road series against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday.