Tigers 2016 schedule highlights, Opening Day, interleague play & more

Fans of the designated hitter rule, look away. Major League Baseball released its 2016 schedule on Tuesday, and the Detroit Tigers will begin and end the season in National League parks. They are slated to open their schedule against the Miami Marlins in Marlins Park on Tuesday, April 5, one day after 26 other teams begin their season on April 4.

The Tigers, who will face off against the National League East in interleague play, will also close their season without a designated hitter. They will play a three game series with the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field from September 30 to October 2 to conclude the regular season. The regular season finale on October 2 will be the final regular season game at Turner Field, as the Braves are currently scheduled to open SunTrust Park in Cobb County in 2017.

There are a few other interesting quirks as well. The Tigers make two separate trips out to the west coast: one in late May against the Athletics and Angels, and one to Seattle and Texas in early August. The Tigers also have an 11-game road trip leading up to the All-Star break.

Highlights include:

• The home opener against the New York Yankees on Friday, April 8.
• A home-and-home series with the Pittsburgh Pirates from April 11-14.
• A three-game series at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. from May 9-11. Fans in the D.C. area will get a whole week's worth of Tigers action, with a four-game series in Baltimore immediately following the series against the Nationals.
• An 11-game road trip against the Rays, Indians, and Blue Jays leading up to the All-Star break.
• Home series against the Marlins, Philadelphia Phillies, and New York Mets.
• Seven off days scheduled after the All-Star break, which seems advantageous.
• A three-game series against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field to close the regular season.

As MLB has done in recent years, the divisional schedule is backloaded. Twenty five of the Tigers' final 31 games will be against AL Central opponents. The All-Star Game will be played at Petco Park in San Diego on Tuesday, July 12.