At long last, the 2020 MLB season is here. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has forced MLB to shorten the season to 60 games. There will also be a universal DH and a runner placed at second base to begin extra innings to speed things along. Embrace the weird. This season will be full of it.

This one features a clash of AL Central rivals as the Minnesota Twins visit the Chicago White Sox. Here's how you can watch their Opening Day matchup:

  • Date: Friday, July 24
  • Time: 8:10 p.m. ET
  • Venue: Guaranteed Rate Field -- Chicago, Illinois
  • TV: Fox Sports North, NBC Sports Chicago
  • Stream: fuboTV (Try for free) in Chicago

Pitching matchup: Jose Berrios vs. Lucas Giolito

Here's one of the best pitching matchups of Opening Day. Berrios, 26, is coming off a 2019 season in which pitched to a 124 ERA+ and a 3.82 K/BB ratio. He also topped 200 innings for the first time in his career and made the All-Star team. This will be Berrios' second straight Opening Day start for Berrios, who pitched to a 2.88 ERA in five starts against the White Sox last year. 

Giolito, also 26, broke out in a big way last season thanks in part to an overhauled repertoire. In 176 2/3 innings, Giolito registered an ERA+ of 134 with a K/BB ratio of 4.00. He finished sixth in the AL Cy Young balloting and made the All-Star team. This will be his first Opening Day start.

Storyline to watch: The new-look White Sox

While the Twins are coming off a 100-win season and a division title in 2019 and have added Josh Donaldson to the fold, the White Sox may have won the offseason. You know all about the impressive young core, and this past winter the Sox also added catcher Yasmani Grandal, DH Yasmani Grandal, lefty starters Dallas Keuchel and Gio Gonzalez, and reliever Kelvin Herrera. As well, they swung a trade for slugging young outfielder Nomar Mazara. How many of those names fare in their Sox debuts in front of the home non-crowd will be notable. 

Also notable? Sox rookie Luis Robert will be making his MLB debut. Robert has a shed full of tools -- fronted by tremendous power -- and he should emerge as a real difference-maker in 2020. 

Prediction!

Tough call in this one. We'll say the Sox seize the day behind an effective Giolito and win a low-scoring affair. Robert joins the ranks of those to homer in their big league debuts.