Major League Baseball released team schedules for next year on Thursday and there are definitely some strange things about the 2024 Chicago Cubs Schedule.

2024 Cubs Schedule: Key Dates

Opening Day: March 28 @TEX
Homer Opener: April 1 vs. COL
All-Star Break: July 15-18
All-Star Game: July 16: Globe Life Field (TEX)
Javier Báez Back at Wrigley Field: Aug. 20-22 vs. DET
Anthony Rizzo Back at Wrigley Field: Sept. 6-8 vs. NYY

The Cubs will begin next season against the Texas Rangers on March 28, 2024. Oddly enough, that ties the earliest Opening Day in Cubs history, matching their 2019 Opening Day date that was also against the Rangers on the road.

No Division Rivals in March/April

Not only do the Cubs not play any teams from the National League Central through their first month, the Cubs will begin the 2024 season playing 18 straight games against AL and NL West teams. Their first series against a division rival will happen until May 3-5, against the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field.

So, the Cubs will go from spring training in Arizona to Texas, fly up to Chicago for a six-game home stand against the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Dodgers, before going back out West for a nine-game road trip against the San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks. Tough travel through the first three weeks of the regular season for the Cubs.

No Games vs. MIL/STL in September

And it's not just that the Cubs aren't going to have any games against the Brewers or Cardinals in September that's weird, it's the fact that the Cubs are done playing their two biggest division rivals by the first week of August. Even weirder, the Cubs and Brewers are done facing each other before the trade deadline.

Cubs vs. Brewers in 2024 (13 Games)
May 3-5 (Chicago)
May 27-30 (Milwaukee)
June 28-30 (Milwaukee)
July 22-24 (Chicago)

Cubs vs. Cardinals in 2024 (13 Games)
May 24-26 (St. Louis)
June 14-16 (Chicago)
July 12-14 (St. Louis)
Aug. 1-4 (Chicago)

Sunday Off Day

In 2022, the Cubs had a rare scheduled day off on a Friday prior to their two-game set against the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field. Well, in 2024, the Cubs do not have a game scheduled on Sunday, Aug. 11, which comes after their weekend series against the White Sox on the south side of Chicago.

The Cubs will host the White Sox at Wrigley Field in a mid-week set on June 4 and 5.

Check out the entire 2024 Cubs schedule below.