To most Americans, Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer and this year, it seems as though the weather is largely set to cooperate. That means folks everywhere are going to rejoice outdoors and for the sports fans among us, Major League Baseball ballparks beckon with hot dogs and cold refreshments to be enjoyed by all.
But if you're a real MLB junkie like me, you'll be taking plenty of time in between hours by the ocean or lake to watch all the action on the diamond you can possibly soak up. That's why I've taken the time to curate the perfect baseball-watching schedule for all of you on this glorious Memorial Day weekend of 2024.
Follow this guide and you'll see all the best pitching matchups of the weekend. You'll hop around all over the country to see the game's brightest stars in all the coolest ballparks. And because baseball always has some magic in store for the opportunistic viewer, there's likely to be a walk-off or two waiting along the way. All set? Let's dive in…
Friday, May 24 (all MLB times Eastern)
6:50 PM Royals @ Rays
Right off the bat, we're watching one of the best pitchers in all of baseball in Kansas City's Seth Lugo. He brings his AL-best 1.79 ERA into St. Petersburg to face a Rays team hungry for redemption after being swept by the Boston Red Sox at home for the first time since 2019. One of these teams is likely to fall out of the playoff hunt at some point this summer, so every game in this series counts.
9:40 PM Yankees @ Padres
Yu Darvish takes the hill against the league's hottest offense, so what more could you ask for? Darvish just extended his scoreless innings streak to 25 on Sunday and is only four wins away from the all-time Japanese-born MLB/NPB record held by Hiroki Kuroda. But Aaron Judge is in the midst of the best offensive stretch of his illustrious career and the Yankees have been scoring runs in bunches, no matter who has been on the mound.
Saturday, May 25
1:40 Giants @ Mets
Jordan Hicks and Luis Severino will duel in Queens, both hoping to get their team's season on the right track. The Giants could get over .500 with a sweep, while the Mets are looking to keep any hope alive of staying in the Wild Card picture after what has been an awful May thus far. Both pitchers have exceeded expectations thus far, but we're getting to the point in the season where their starts begin to carry even more weight than usual.
4:05 Braves @ Pirates
Yet another surprising star pitcher takes the hill in the Braves' Reynaldo Lopez. And he's facing a Pirates team that's had a bit of a morale boost lately since Paul Skenes joined the roster, although the bullpen has been pretty horrendous. Mitch Keller takes the ball opposing Lopez, and he's been twirling some gems recently as well.
7:15 Dodgers @ Reds
Try to ignore the win-loss records here to the best of your abilities. Walker Buehler and Hunter Greene are squaring off in a battle of righties with electric stuff, while the diamond at Great American Ball Park will contain as much star talent as any venue in MLB this weekend. Shohei Ohtani, Elly De La Cruz, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman… there are bound to be some fireworks.
9:38 Guardians @ Angels
Consider this one a late-night snack. Sure, the Angels aren't riveting television most of the time, but while you doze off, likely with a stomach full of cookout food, you can watch Tanner Bibee duel with José Soriano, who regularly touches 100 mph with his electric fastball. Maybe, if you're lucky, you'll get one of those signature late night West Coast dramatic finishes.
Sunday, May 26
11:35 Blue Jays @ Tigers
The Roku game returns for its triumphant encore! Yusei Kikuchi and Casey Mize will tee it up in the finale of this four-game set between teams looking to keep their heads above water at this point in the season. By the time of the final out here, either the Blue Jays or the Tigers are likely to be feeling more blue than the threads of their uniforms, and the early start time allows us to concentrate on this game alone before diving into a full Sunday slate.
3:10 Phillies @ Rockies
There's one reason to tune into this game alone, and his name is Ranger Suárez. The MLB wins leader brings his 1.36 ERA into Coors Field, where anything can happen no matter how dominant your stuff has been all season long. And if the Rockies do happen to get to Suárez, it's likely to be a shootout, because the Phillies have been a juggernaut offense for the entire month of May.
7:00 Cubs @ Cardinals
One of baseball's signature rivalries takes center stage on Sunday Night Baseball, with these teams currently on a collision course at the .500 mark. Chicago has dropped five of its last seven, while St. Louis has won eight of its last ten. For all the talk of these two teams heading in opposite directions at the beginning of the MLB season, it seems the inverse has been true of late. It's also a chance to watch Sonny Gray take the hill as he builds his resume as the Cardinals' ace.
Monday, May 27
1:05 Red Sox @ Orioles
These two teams met on a holiday Monday last month (Patriots Day in Boston) and it was the Orioles who outclassed the Red Sox en route to an early-season sweep. The Sox have looked revitalized in the past week, with Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu going gangbusters at the top of the lineup. But with lefty Cole Irvin on the hill, Boston may have to find contributions from some of the struggling names further down in the batting order.
4:10 Cubs @ Brewers
It's another riveting day of Cubs baseball, with Javier Assad taking the bump looking to continue his incredible season. Opposing him is Robert Gasser, who has looked incredible in three starts with the big-league club thus far. But of course, the real story here is Cubs manager Craig Counsell returning to Milwaukee after an unceremonious parting of ways this past offseason. The reception he gets will be interesting, but the results on the diamond far more so.
9:40 Astros @ Mariners
Just as the holiday Monday scaries start to set in, take your mind off any work-related negativity with an AL West showdown in Seattle. Framber Valdez hasn't been the guy the Astros have needed him to be this season, but he can do a lot to atone for any missteps with a big outing against the first place team in the division. And the Mariners will counter with Bryce Miller, who has had electric stuff all year, but has quietly struggled against tough offenses of late–offenses very much like that of Houston.
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