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The defending World Series champion Washington Nationals will host the New York Yankees on Thursday night at Nationals Park (follow along here for live updates). It's the return of Major League Baseball four months after the 2020 season's postponement due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The 2020 opener, however, will not feature Juan Soto after the Nationals star received a positive COVID-19 test on Thursday.

This season, of course, will be unlike any other, with new rules, division realignments and just 60 total games versus the usual 162 slate. Plus, no fans will be at the ballpark to start the season.

Now, let's set the scene for first real, meaningful baseball game in months.

How can I watch?

When: Thursday, July 23 | Time: 7:08 p.m. ET
Venue: Nationals Park (Washington, D.C.)
TV: ESPN | Stream: fuboTV (Try for free)    

Pitching matchup: Gerrit Cole vs. Max Scherzer

Thursday will be Cole's second career Opening Day start, while Scherzer will be making his fifth career Opening Day start. Cole, 29, will be making his first start since signing a nine-year, $324 million contract with the Yankees to become the highest-paid pitcher in MLB history. Although Cole fell short of winning the World Series with the Astros last season, he'll be joining a 103-win team in the Yankees. In 2019, Cole finished with a 20-5 record (including 16 straight wins), a 2.50 ERA and a league-best 326 strikeouts. Scherzer, who turns 36 next week, will look to add to his Hall of Fame resume. He's coming off a 2020 postseason where he pitched through back pain, yet still managed to finish with a 2.50 ERA in his six postseason appearances. And, the Nationals won every game Scherzer pitched in the playoffs, including Game 7 of the 2019 World Series.

Storyline to watch: Debut of the Yankees' white whale

The Yankees signing of Cole this past offseason was a long time coming. After the Yankees drafted Cole in 2008, the team waited patiently to snag the right-hander in free agency after he spend time with the Pirates and Astros. Now 12 years later, New York has a true ace on staff with the addition of Cole to their rotation, and his official debut in pinstripes is what everyone will be talking about Thursday. Cole's 2020 Opening Day start will be one of the most anticipated of the 30 teams.

Odds

New York is the -172 favorite on the money line in the latest Yankees vs. Nationals odds from William Hill, while the over-under for total runs scored is 7.5. Before making any Yankees vs. Nationals picks, check out the MLB predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.

Prediction!

I'll go with the Yankees taking home the road win in Nationals Park on Opening Day. Cole is solid in his first start for New York and the Bronx Bombers live up to their nickname, with Gleyber Torres and Aaron Judge each going yard off Scherzer.