The start of the 2024 seasons for the New York Mets, Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies, and Atlanta Braves will be delayed by one day due to rainy weather in the forecast on Thursday. Both the Mets and the Phillies have rescheduled their Opening Day games from Thursday afternoon to Friday afternoon.

The Mets will now host the Brewers on Friday (March 29) at 1:40 p.m. ET, while the Phillies and Braves will face off at 3:05 p.m. ET. This means that the distinction of being the first game of MLB's Opening Day will now go to the matchup between the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Angels.

Despite rain being in the forecast for Thursday afternoon in both Queens and South Philly, the decision to postpone the games was made early to avoid any disruptions to the on-field festivities and ceremonies planned for the openers. Both teams announced the postponements approximately 24 hours before the originally scheduled first pitch.

Friday's game between the Phillies and Braves will be a rematch of last year's memorable National League Division Series (NLDS), in which the Phillies emerged victorious with a 3-1 series win. However, the Braves had the upper hand during the 2023 regular season, winning eight out of the 13 games between the two teams, including a crucial division-clinching victory at Citizens Bank Park.

Fans can look forward to an exciting pitching matchup at Citizens Bank Park on Friday, with the Phillies' Zack Wheeler facing off against the Braves' Spencer Strider. Both pitchers are considered to be among the best starters in baseball, making it a highly anticipated Opening Day duel.

While the rain may have delayed the start of the season for the Mets, Brewers, Phillies, and Braves, baseball fans can still rejoice as the other 26 teams are set to kick off their Opening Day games as planned on Thursday. With a 13-game schedule in place, fans can expect a day filled with excitement and anticipation for the start of the 2024 MLB season.

Friday will serve as a fresh start for the Mets under the leadership of new president David Stearns, who coincidentally previously held a prominent role in the Brewers' front office. As the teams take the field, all eyes will be on the Mets and Brewers to set the tone for what promises to be an action-packed and unpredictable season ahead.