Yankees, MLB release 2013 schedule

After a couple of weeks of minor details leaking out, MLB and the Yankees (and every other team) officially released the 2013 schedule today. As expected, the Bombers open next season with three games at home against the Red Sox. The first game will be played on April 1st, a Monday, then the next two on the 3rd and 4th. They always have the off-day in there just in case the weather stinks. Nineteen of the club’s first 32 games will be at home. You can see the full schedule here.

With interleague play now spread out throughout the entire schedule, the Yankees will welcome the Diamondbacks to the Bronx for three games in mid-April. I’m sure Justin Upton will be happy to see his former teammates so early in the season. Other interleague dates include trips to play the Rockies (May 7th-9th), the Dodgers (July 30th and 31st), and the Padres (August 2nd-4th) on the road. The D’Backs, Dodgers (June 18th-20th), and Giants (September 20th-22nd) are all coming to Yankee Stadium, so brush up on your NL West news.

The Subway Series has been reduced to four games, a home-and-home series from May 27th through the 30th. The first two games will be played in CitiField, the next two in Yankee Stadium. That’s a Monday through Thursday, and I’m kinda surprised they didn’t schedule that on a weekend. Very odd. Either way, I’m happy that they reduced the number of games, six felt like too much. Playing the four games against the Mets in four days will be fun, especially the two-stadium aspect.

The Yankees only have two West Coast trips next year — a nine-game swing through Seattle, Oakland, and Anaheim in mid-June, then the little five-gamer against the Dodgers and Padres in late-July/August. Despite the typical AL East-heavy September schedule, the Bombers actually close next season in Houston against the Astros, who are joining the AL West next year. If the Astros continue to be as bad as expected, that could be a big help for the Yankees if the race for a playoff spot goes right down to the final weekend of the season. The final game of the season will be played on September 29th, a Sunday.