Cleveland Guardians Home Opener now slated for April 15 as MLB Lockout ends

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Cleveland’s countdown to the Guardians’ Home Opener has finally begun as the MLB Lockout ended after 99 days.

[ MLB players vote to end lockout, salvaging 162-game season ]

The original 2022 Home Opener at Progressive Field was scheduled on Opening Day throughout the MLB on March 31 before the MLB and MLBPA failed to reach an agreement with enough time for four weeks of Spring Training prior to starting the regular season.

The Guardians were going to face the Kansas City Royals on that date.

When the lockout ended on March 10, the Guardians announced the Home Opener for their newly-named team at Progressive Field is slated for April 15 vs. San Francisco.

This new Guardians Home Opener is set for 7:10 p.m. on Jackie Robinson Day, which the MLB states:

“On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson broke Baseball’s color barrier when he made his historic MLB debut. Every year on April 15, Baseball honors Jackie’s legacy by celebrating his life, values and accomplishments. The extensive and unified League-wide show of support has included retiring Jackie’s number throughout the Majors in 1997; dedicating April 15 as Jackie Robinson Day each year since 2004; and requesting that every player and all on-field personnel wear his No. 42 during games scheduled on Jackie Robinson Day since 2009.”

This home game on the corner of Carnegie and Ontario was added after the original home opener was canceled.

So what about the fans who bought tickets for the original Opening Day and Home Opener on March 31?

The Guardians have yet to give those ticket holders an option for what to do with their seats and money.

However, the Guardians shared the following statement after the lockout was lifted:

“In the near future, we will be communicating to existing ticket purchasers and our fans regarding procedures for the impacted games and availability for the Home Opener on April 15 vs. San Francisco. We thank you for your patience and can’t wait to see you again at Progressive Field this season.”

Since the April 15 game was added to the Guardians’ home schedule, tickets have yet to become available to purchase.

Tickets for the away games added after the new Opening Day are up for grabs with the Guardians at Kansas City April 8-11, with April 8 being the Royals Home Opener.

Away game tickets for when Cleveland plays in Cincinnati on April 13 are also for sale, but not yet for the Reds’ Home Opener on April 12.

[ Click here to view the Guardians’ game schedule and purchase tickets ]

The Guardians shared the following statement with Cleveland fans after the lockout was lifted:

“Major League Baseball and the Players Association have reached an agreement that ensures a complete 2022 Major League Baseball season. We are extremely appreciative of all our key stakeholders, especially our fans, for their patience while a deal was being negotiated. We are confident this new collective bargaining agreement is good for players, good for the Guardians organization and - most importantly - good for our fans. It invests in our game’s exciting young players, allows us to make the game better on the field, and creates an even better version of our sport. Now we shift our focus to where it belongs: the field of play and celebrating everything that makes our game great.”

[ MLB lockout ends, 162-game season to start April 7 ]

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