ESPN's early season baseball schedule will be the Sho Show, featuring Shohei Ohtani and Dodgers

BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) — ESPN's early season baseball schedule will be the Sho Show.

Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers will be featured on two of ESPN's first three “Sunday Night Baseball” telecasts this season. The Dodgers’ opening two games of the season were assigned to ESPN as an MLB special event, a two-game series against the Padres at Seoul, South Korea, on March 20 and 21.

ESPN will open its Sunday night schedule with the Dodgers' home game against the St. Louis Cardinals on March 31 and will televise the Dodgers' home game against the San Diego Padres on April 14, the network said Wednesday. ESPN also selected the Dodgers' June 9 game at the New York Yankees for its Sunday schedule of games, which start shortly after 7 p.m. EDT.

Ohtani left the Los Angeles Angels last month to sign a record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers. The two-way star is expected to be a regular designated hitter but won't pitch following elbow ligament surgery.

Other Sunday night picks include World Series champion Texas hosting Houston on April 7 in a rematch of last year's AL Championship Series, the Rangers at Atlanta on April 21, the Chicago Cubs at Boston on April 28 and the Cubs at St. Louis on May 26. MLB previously announced ESPN will televise the Little League Classic game involving the Yankees and Detroit on Aug. 18 at Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

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