Opening Day At Sun Trust Park: Parking, Festivities, Chop On!

ATLANTA, GA — It's opening day 2018 and the Braves will face the Philadelphia Phillies Thursday at Sun Trust Park; first pitch scheduled for 4:10 p.m. It's the first of a three-game series to start the season. The telecast will be on Fox Sports Southeast.

Gates will open at 2 p.m. Players and coaches will parade around the field and into the Chop House gate before participating in batting practice.

"Opening Day is an unofficial holiday in America, and we're thrilled to welcome fans back to SunTrust Park and The Battery Atlanta," said Derek Schiller, president and chief executive officer of business. "To celebrate the beginning of another exciting year of Braves baseball, we're pulling out all the stops for our fans. We want to invite everyone to come join us for what should be a memorable day filled with exciting baseball and performances."

It will also be the debut of Blooper, the Atlanta Braves new mascot. Ironically, many fans have said the new mascot is a mix between the Phillie Phanatic and a shaggy space alien. Blooper was revealed at Sun Trust Park during Chop Fest, in January.

Before the game, the Battery Atlanta will host a wide variety of events and entertainment beginning at noon for fans who arrive early to celebrate Opening Day. That begins with the entire Braves team making their way down Battery Way and straight into SunTrust Park and down to the field for batting practice. That will be followed by the Leadoff Show, showcasing the talents of the Atlanta Braves Heavy Hitters, ATL Breakers and Tomahawk Team, getting underway in the Plaza at 1:50 p.m. The Plaza Green also will host a Wiffle Ball Home Run Derby, while pick-up stickball games will be offered throughout The Battery Atlanta.

Live performances from the new Braves mascot, Blooper, the Home Depot Tools, and other street performers will entertain fans prior to the game. The official pre-game tailgate, which is free and open to all ages, kicks off at noon and will be hosted by 680 The Fan at the Coca-Cola Roxy. Fans can partake in corn hole, cocktails and a $15 lunch buffet before the game, as well as enjoy music by Atlanta cover band On No Stereo.

There also will be opportunities to win Braves memorabilia and tickets to either an upcoming game or show at the Coca-Cola Roxy. Fans are encouraged to be in their seats 30 minutes prior to first pitch for a special pre-game ceremony to kick off the regular season, which includes a first pitch by Chipper Jones and will culminate in Clay Cookfrom the GRAMMY Award-winning Zac Brown Band performing the national anthem and four F-16s from the 55th Fighter Squadron at Shaw Air Force Base will fly over SunTrust Park at the anthem's conclusion. University of Georgia football player, Nick Chubb, will officially begin the game upon his "Play Ball" command.

The forecast, according to the Weather Channel, is for generally cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 73F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph.

Single game parking passes for the 2018 Braves season are now available. Plan ahead and purchase parking before coming to SunTrust Park!

Aaron Nola will take the mound for the Phillies, while Julio Teharan will take the mound for an Atlanta record-breaking fifth-consecutive opening day for the Braves.

The Braves finished 72-90 last season and had a Sun Trust Park attendance of 2,505,252.

USA Today made a “semi-scientific guess” at the 2018 records of all 30 MLB teams, predicting a 76-86 record for the Braves.

According to an Atlanta Braves press release, the final roster includes 12 pitchers, three catchers, five infielders and five outfielders.

The Braves have six players who made their first opening day roster, including two rookies in RHP Shane Carle and LHP A.J. Minter, who changed his number to 33 this season. The other four players who will be part of their first Opening Day roster are LHP Sam Freeman, LHP Sean Newcomb, INF Ozzie Albies and OF Lane Adams.

This season will mark OF Nick Markakis' team-high 13th Opening Day overall and his fourth with Atlanta. Seven of the players on the roster (Carle, RHP Brandon McCarthy, C Chris Stewart, INF Charlie Culberson, INF/OF Ryan Flaherty, OF Peter Bourjos and OF Preston Tucker) will be wearing a Braves uniform for the first time in their career, while 10 players are returning from last year's opener.

The average age of the Opening Day roster is 29, compared to 30 for last year's version. The oldest player is 39-year-old RHP Peter Moylan, while 21-year-old Albies is the youngest.

The Braves will play host to Philadelphia at 4:10 p.m. (Fox Sports Southeast) today to open the season. Right-handed pitcher Julio Teheran makes his Atlanta-franchise record fifth consecutive Opening Day start, facing RHP Aaron Nola.

PITCHERS (12): LHP Rex Brothers, RHP Shane Carle, RHP Mike Foltynewicz, LHP Sam Freeman, RHP Brandon McCarthy, LHP A.J. Minter, RHP Peter Moylan, LHP Sean Newcomb, RHP José Ramírez, RHP Julio Teheran, RHP Arodys Vizcaíno, RHP Dan Winkler

CATCHERS (3): Tyler Flowers, Chris Stewart, Kurt Suzuki

INFIELDERS (5): Ozzie Albies, Charlie Culberson, Ryan Flaherty, Freddie Freeman, Dansby Swanson

OUTFIELDERS (5): Lane Adams, Peter Bourjos, Ender Inciarte, Nick Markakis, Preston Tucker

Here is the Braves' 2018 schedule.

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Photo courtesy AP