HOUSTON — The wait is over! The Astros get the regular season underway on Thursday with the first of four games against the New York Yankees at Minute Maid Park. First pitch is at 3:10 p.m.
There’s plenty of fun planned out at the ballpark, starting with Opening Day Street Fest from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. There will be food trucks, live music, face painting and a lot more.
Astros great and five-time All-Star Michael Brantley, who retired from baseball after last season, will throw out the first pitch for the opener Thursday. Rapper 50 Cent will give the ‘Play Ball’ call and the national anthem will be performed by Nashville recording artist and native Houstonian Julia Cole.
Want to go? There are still tickets available at astros.com/tickets.
During the season-opening homestand, the Astros will face the Yankees on March 28, 29, 30 and 31. After that, the Toronto Blue Jays come to town for three games on April 1, 2 and 3.
Houston is coming off a season that saw them come within one win from a return trip to the World Series. The team has made the ALCS in seven straight years, an American League record.
Astros opening day lineup
The Astros announced the teams opening day lineup a few hours before the game:
- Jose Altuve - 2B
- Yordan Alvarez - DH
- Kyle Tucker - RF
- Alex Bregman - 3B
- José Abreu - 1B
- Chas McCormick - LF
- Yainer Diaz - C
- Jeremy Peña - SS
- Jake Meyers - CF
Framber Valdez will take the mound.
New facial recognition at Minute Maid Park
At the Houston Astros home opener on Thursday, there will be a new, faster way for fans to get through the gates of Minute Maid Park.
Major League Baseball's new Go-Ahead Entry uses facial recognition technology to identify fans with tickets. It allows them to bypass the long lines and breeze into the ballpark without stopping to have their ticket scanned.