(East Los Angeles, CA) [From The Editor’s Desk]: The countdown is on and working its way to Opening Day at Dodger Stadium, on Thursday, 3/30, with the first pitch set for 7:10 pm. The Big Blue have prepared a dynamic Opening Week for all of its fans and it may go down in the rankings of both the Opening Day & Week, as one of its all time best. 

If you have already made your purchase for the game, then you will definitely need to give the team’s press announcement below a very good read to make sure you give yourself more than ample time to be in your seat when the festivities start at 6:30 pm. Pay good attention to the Transportation and Parking sections and try to avoid the massive crowd expected to get out to the Stadium during our City’s well-known late afternoon rush hour.

In closing out our “game-day” advice to fans, if you are planning to attend one or more games during this Opening Week, you should bookmark this story for your quick reference to all of the programmed festivities on a “game-to-game” basis. To see what tickets are still available for this very creative and magical week of Dodgers baseball, click on Dodgers.com/Tickets.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS OPEN THE 2023 SEASON WITH AN EXCITING FIRST HOMESTAND

The Boys in Blue host the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies for six games

LOS ANGELES – The Dodgers open the 2023 campaign with six games against familiar foes, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies, as they embark on capturing their 10^th National League West title in 11 years. Dodger Stadium will debut an array of new food offerings and fan experiences starting with a 7:10 p.m. matchup vs. Arizona tomorrow on Opening Day, presented by Bank of America.

Fans will witness brand-new additions at the iconic Dodger Stadium as the season begins. Newly installed LED lights will grace the field, displaying color-changing features and abilities while enhancing the fan experience. All 600 fixtures will provide better visibility for both players and fans and save energy, an enterprise that adds to the Dodgers’ ongoing green initiative. New water refill stations will be located around the stadium for fans to stay hydrated throughout the season. Fans of all ages can visit the brand-new Vin Scully Ring display located on the Club Level, snack on new tasty delights throughout the stadium, and visit Gil Hodges’ retired number at the Bank of America Retired Numbers Plaza at the Top of the Park in anticipation of the upcoming retirement of Fernando Valenzuela’s number this August.

The Boys in Blue face off with the Arizona Diamondbacks for a four-game series, headlined by left-handed pitcher Julio Urías, who will be making his first career Opening Day start. Fans will witness Dodger history come to life as Cy Young Award winners Orel Hershiser, Fernando Valenzuela, and Eric Gagné will throw out the ceremonial first pitch to Rick Dempsey, Mike Scioscia, and manager Dave Roberts. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass will deliver the ceremonial first pitch balls to the mound ahead of the 7:10 p.m. start. Friday’s postgame show will bring forth a new spectacular fit for all ages, with the first of five drone shows, presented by California Pizza Kitchen. The light display will stand alongside Friday Night Fireworks this season and consist of hundreds of lights staggered together to produce fun imagery for the entire stadium to view. On Saturday, the first 40,000 ticketed fans will take home a Freddie Freeman bobblehead, presented by Bank of America, and enjoy the first installment of a postgame performance, a 30-minute musical set performed by SuperSoul in the Centerfield Plaza. The series will wrap up with a matinee on Sunday at 1:10 p.m.

Fans will enjoy a host of activities for the last two games of the homestand against the Colorado Rockies, both starting at 7:10 p.m. Those in attendance for Monday’s contest will receive a Julio Urías bobblehead, sponsored by Bank of America. Fan-favorite Taco Tuesday, presented by Delta Air Lines, will return for the final game of the series with musical stylings from Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuellar filling Dodger Stadium both before and during the game. Unique food and drinks will be available around the stadium, including new potato taquitos in the Centerfield Plaza.

The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation’s (LADF) Opening Day in-stadium fundraising including the 50/50 raffle, and online auction will have its net proceeds benefit Shoes That Fit, a non-profit that tackles one of the most visible signs of poverty in America by giving children in need new athletic shoes to attend school with dignity and joy, prepare to learn, play, and thrive. Fans can help LADF reach their goal of providing brand new shoes for 5,000 youth in Los Angeles by purchasing a 50/50 raffle ticket from sellers located throughout the stadium in pink aprons, buying an item at the LADF Homebase or by bidding on autographed Dodgers memorabilia and experiences at Dodgers.com/Auctions.

An additional way to support LADF this season is to purchase a personalized ribbon board message at Dodgers.com/ribbonboards. LADF envisions a city where everyone regardless of ZIP code has the opportunity to thrive.

Auto and Stadium gates open at 4:10 p.m. on Opening Day and the Dodgers encourage fans to arrive early, with pregame ceremonies starting at 6:30 p.m. The free Dodger Stadium Express will start operating at 5:10 p.m. from Union Station and 5:10 p.m. from the South Bay Harbor Gateway Transit Center. More information on parking and public transportation options to Dodger Stadium can be found online at www.dodgers.com under the Dodger Stadium tab at the top of the page.

Tickets are available for all six games of the homestand and can be purchased at Dodgers.com/Tickets. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy a host of activities and pregame ceremonies throughout the homestand. A full list of promotions and a schedule for games for the Opening Week presented by Bank of America is below:

 Thursday, March 30, 7:10 p.m. vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

• Anthem: Keith Williams Jr.
• Pregame ceremonies will include:
  • Members and veterans of all branches of the military will unfurl a giant American flag in center field during the National Anthem.
  • A flyover from two F-35 planes and one F-22 plane will occur during the National Anthem.
• Ceremonial first pitch: Cy Young Award winners Orel Hershiser, Fernando Valenzuela, and Eric Gagné will throw out the ceremonial first pitch to Rick Dempsey, Mike Scioscia, and manager Dave Roberts
• Ceremonial First Pitch Ball Delivery: Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass
• It’s Time For Dodger Baseball: a Vin Scully tribute video
• Centerfield Plaza: Rumba y Clava Salsa Group
• Military Hero of the Game, presented by IBEW & Pipe Trades: Tokuji “Toke” Yoshihashi, a 100-year old Army World War II veteran and native Angeleno
  

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 Friday, March 31, 7:10 p.m. vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

• Anthem: Claire Khodara
• Ceremonial first pitch: Logan Paul and KSI
• It’s Time For Dodger Baseball: Logan Paul and KSI
• Centerfield Plaza: DJ Nico Blitz Will spin tunes for fans.
• Military Hero of the Game, presented by IBEW & Pipe Trades: Justin Calderon

• The first Drone Show of the season presented by California Pizza Kitchen

Saturday, April 1, 6:10 p.m. vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

• Promotion: Freddie Freeman bobblehead presented by Bank of America (first 40,000 ticketed fans in attendance while supplies last at guest’s point of entry)
• Anthem: Dani Rose
• Ceremonial First Pitch: Freddie’s three sons: Charlie, Brandon, and Maximus
• It’s Time For Dodger Baseball: Members of the Freeman family
• Centerfield Plaza: SuperSoul House Band
• Military Hero of the Game, presented by IBEW & Pipe Trades: Captain Jesus Aguilera
• Postgame Performance: SuperSoul House Band

Sunday, April 2, 1:10 p.m. vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

• Anthem: Victoria La Mala
• Pregame: Members of local youth baseball teams will partake in a youth parade around the field.
• Ceremonial First Pitch: Woodland Hills Sunrise Little League
• It’s Time For Dodger Baseball: Little League players
• Centerfield Plaza: DJ Jamie
• Military Hero of the Game, presented by IBEW & Pipe Trades: Austin Emley

Monday, April 3, 7:10 p.m. vs. Colorado Rockies

• Promotion: Julio Urías bobblehead presented by Bank of America (first 40,000 ticketed fans in attendance while supplies last at guest’s point of entry)
• Anthem: Chris Chanco Harrell
• Centerfield Plaza: DJ Nico Blitz
• Military Hero of the Game, presented by IBEW & Pipe Trades: Joseph Perera

Tuesday, April 4, 7:10 p.m. vs. Colorado Rockies

Promotion: Hooded sweatshirt, presented by Bank of America (first 40,000 ticketed fans in attendance while supplies last at guest’s point of entry) and Taco Tuesday presented by Delta Air Lines

• Anthem: Teddy Obot
• It’s Time For Dodger Baseball: Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuellar
• Centerfield Plaza: DJ Raymond Andrew
• Military Hero of the Game, presented by IBEW & Pipe Trades: Tony James III