2016 MLB season
Schedule[edit]
As was the case in 2015, teams were scheduled to play 19 games against each division opponent for a total of 76 games, and six or seven games against each team from the other two divisions in its league for a total of 66 games. The Civil Rights Game was not played this year.
All teams were scheduled to play 20 interleague games throughout the season. For 2016, the interleague matchups were to be AL East vs. NL West, AL Central vs. NL East, and AL West vs. NL Central.
On July 3, 2016, the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins played the Fort Bragg Game, a special neutral-site game at Fort Bragg Stadium, a newly constructed field in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in observance of the Independence Day long weekend. It was the first professional, regular-season sporting event held on an active military installation.[1] A two-game series between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Miami Marlins was also scheduled for Hiram Bithorn Stadium in Puerto Rico in May 2016; however, on May 6, 2016, Major League Baseball announced that the Puerto Rico games would be postponed due to the ongoing Zika virus epidemic, and moved back to Marlins Park.[2]
In February 2016, Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association agreed to two rule changes.
Uniforms[edit]
Wholesale changes[edit]
The Arizona Diamondbacks unveiled their new uniform concept for 2016 on December 3, 2015.
The San Diego Padres introduced new uniforms with a blue and yellow color scheme.
The silhouetted batter logo started to appear on the back belt loop of pants.[130]
The New Era flag logo began to appear on all authentic game-used caps, starting with the 2016 postseason.
Alternate changes[edit]
The Milwaukee Brewers added a new alternate uniform with modern colors and a retro design.[131]
The Minnesota Twins added a red alternate to their uniform lineup. It features the TC logo on the chest. Although the Twins announced they would be worn on Fridays, they wore the alternate on April 25 and September 5 (Labor Day), both Monday; they wore it on other days as well.
The Philadelphia Phillies added a red alternate that they will wear on mid-week home matinee games.
Anniversaries and special events[edit]
The following teams wore commemorative patches for special occasions:
Venues[edit]
This was the Atlanta Braves' final season at Turner Field, where the team played its final regular season game against the Detroit Tigers on October 2, 2016. From the 2017 Major League Baseball season onward, the Braves will play home games at SunTrust Park in Cobb County, Georgia.
The Toronto Blue Jays had a full dirt infield installed in Rogers Centre after using sliding pits throughout their history there as well as Exhibition Stadium.[148]