Phillies Opening Day postponed, moved to Friday afternoon due to rain

The Philadelphia Phillies Opening Day matchup with the Atlanta Braves has been postponed until Friday due to rain in the forecast on Thursday. 

Friday's game will start at 3:05 p.m. with gates opening to fans at 12:35 p.m. 

"Due to the anticipated rain on Thursday, we have elected to move our home opener with the Braves to Friday," said Phillies Executive Vice President David Buck. "This decision was made after consultation with Major League Baseball and various weather services. The open date on Friday gives us the ability to reschedule the game."

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Tickets and parking for Thursday will be valid for admission on Friday. 

Pregame festivities will begin around 2:20 p.m.

The New York Mets were scheduled to host the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday afternoon but also rescheduled to Friday. Thursday will otherwise feature a crowded slate of major league games. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres started the season with a two-game series in Seoul, South Korea, last week.