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The Houston Astros and Chicago White Sox will begin their 2023 seasons at Minute Maid Park. The Astros won the World Series last season, and with much of their core back, they'll attempt to become the first repeat champions in MLB since the 1999-2000. Houston also won the World Series in 2017, and they've been a part of six straight American League Championship Series. Under new general manager Dana Brown, the Astros once again look like one of the power teams in the AL. 

As for the White Sox, the puzzling reunion with Tony La Russa is no more, and new manager Pedro Grifol will try to guide Chicago back to the playoffs after a disappointing .500 season in 2022. 

Other information on the Padres vs. Rockies, including live stream details, is below.

White Sox vs. Astros

Date: Thursday, March 30 | Time: 7:08 p.m. ET  
Location: Minute Maid Park - Houston
Live streamfuboTV, MLB.TV (Try for free) | TV: ESPN
Probable pitchers: RHP Dylan Cease (CHW) vs. LHP Framber Valdez (HOU)
Odds: CHW +135; HOU -160; O/U: 7 runs (via Caesars Sportsbook)

Storylines

White Sox: It's Grifol's managerial debut in the bigs, and this contest also occasions a quick reunion with bedrock first baseman José Abreu. The 36-year-old Abreu this past offseason inked a three-year deal with Houston after spending the first nine seasons of his MLB career with the White Sox. In addition to his steady and measured leadership, Abreu also won an MVP with Chicago and put up a career WAR of 31.9. He'll rightly be remembered as a franchise great. 

Astros: Justin Verlander is the latest Astro to depart via free agency, and that means Valdez gets the Opening Day nod. Valdez actually started Opening Day last year and went on to finish fifth in the voting for the AL Cy Young award, which Verlander won. Cease, by the way, was second in that vote, and all of that makes this one of the most intriguing pitching matchups of Opening Day.