Orioles fans will be able to watch all of the home team's batting practice Thursday as part of Opening Day festivities, with gates opening at noon for the team's first game of the 2018 season.
Fans are asked to be in their seats by 2:30 p.m. for the traditional introduction ceremony, with 100 members of the Orioles Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) softball program lining the orange carpet and one fan chosen as the "10th man" to run down the carpet with the team.
Additionally, Opening Day will feature a ceremony where executive vice president John Angelos will present a $200,000 check to be distributed to organizations represented among last year's Birdland Community Heroes’ charities.
Tenor Richard Troxell, of Thurmont, will sing the national anthem for the 12th time on Opening Day, in front of a 30- by 42-foot flag in center field, and longtime head athletic trainer Richie Bancells will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Bancells, who spent 41 years with the organization and 30 as the third head athletic trainer in club history, retired last fall and was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 2011.
First pitch against the Minnesota Twins is at 3:05 p.m.
OPENING DAY SCHEDULE
10 a.m. Orioles parking lots open to fans
Noon: Gates open
12 p.m.-12:45 p.m. Orioles batting practice
12:45-1:35 p.m. Twins batting practice
2:30 p.m. Pregame ceremonies begin (player introductions, national anthem)
3:05 p.m. First pitch
WEATHER
Thursday will be cloudy with a high near 64. The National Weather Service is forecasting a 30 percent chance of showers and patchy fog, with a greater chance of precipitation after the game.
POSSIBLE LINEUPS
Orioles
3B Tim Beckham
LF Trey Mancini
2B Jonathan Schoop
SS Manny Machado
CF Adam Jones
1B Chris Davis
DH Danny Valencia
RF Colby Rasmus
C Caleb Joseph
Twins
2B Brian Dozier
1B Joe Mauer
3B Miguel Sano
LF Eddie Rosario
DH Logan Morrison
CF Byron Buxton
RF Max Kepler
SS Eduardo Escobar
C Jason Castro