ESPN Sunday Night Baseball Returns for 27th Season as Exclusive National MLB Game of the Week

ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball presented by Taco Bell will return for its 27th season as the exclusive, national Major League Baseball Game of the Week in 2016. The prime-time, weekly platform will be home to baseball’s best players and most compelling matchups throughout the season, beginning with an Opening Night World Series rematch – the World Series Champion Kansas City Royals and World Series M.V.P. Salvador Perez host the New York Mets and ace Matt Harvey – on Sunday, April 3, at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Sunday Night Baseball presented by Taco Bell telecasts, generally starting at 8 p.m., will be available all season long on ESPN, ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Deportes Radio andWatchESPN.

Early-season schedule highlights

· Multiple appearances by several teams expected to contend in 2016: Boston Red Sox; Los Angeles Dodgers; New York Mets; New York Yankees; and San Francisco Giants;

· Sunday Night Baseball to document Boston Red Sox icon David Ortiz’s final season across four early appearances;

· The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox renew their rivalry three times, including back-to-back weeks (May 1, May 8, July 17);

· NL West rivals: Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants will square off twice (April 17, June 12);

· The Pittsburgh Pirates and Andrew McCutchen to appear on Sunday Night Baseballfor third consecutive season (June 12), 8th appearance since 2014;

· Special Sunday Night Baseball doubleheader on June 12: St Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh Pirates (5 p.m.); Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco Giants (8:30 p.m.);

· The Arizona Diamondbacks, led by new ace Zack Greinke, to make first appearance since 2008 (July 10);

· The Houston Astros, led by Carlos Correa, to make first appearance since 2013 (April 24).

See the early-season Sunday Night and season-opening schedules here.