2017 ESPN Sunday Night Baseball Early-Season Schedule to Feature World Series Champion Chicago Cubs in High-Profile Appearances

Dan Shulman, Aaron Boone, Jessica Mendoza & Buster Olney to Return as Sunday Night Baseball Team

ESPN Sunday Night Baseball presented by Taco Bell will return for its 28th season in 2017 as the exclusive, national Major League Baseball game of the week. The weekly, prime-time telecast will feature the sport's top stars and best teams throughout the season, beginning with Opening Night- the World Series Champion Chicago Cubs visit their rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals, on Sunday, April 2, 2017 at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Sunday Night Baseball generally airs at 8 p.m. across several platforms, including ESPN, ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Deportes Radio, ESPN International networks, WatchESPN and the ESPN App. Baseball Tonight: Sunday Night Countdown presented by Chevrolet generally precedes Sunday Night Baseball with a one-hour pre-game show, beginning at 7 p.m.

Sunday Night Baseball team returns

Dan Shulman, the voice of Sunday Night Baseball, will return for his seventh season as the play-by-play commentator. He'll be joined by returning analysts Aaron Boone and Jessica Mendoza (second full-season for both) and reporter Buster Olney, who will also begin his seventh season. It will be the second-consecutive season for this Sunday Night Baseball quartet.

Schedule highlights include:

· Five appearances by the World Series Champion Chicago Cubs, including back-to-back matchups against the Boston Red Sox (Fenway Park, Apr. 30) and the New York Yankees (Wrigley Field, May 7);

· ESPN to air Derek Jeter's number retirement and plaque dedication prior to the Houston Astros at New York Yankees matchup on May 14;

· Bryce Harper, one of MLB's most popular stars, is set to take center stage on Apr. 23 as his Washington Nationals face the New York Mets;

· Four appearances by the St. Louis Cardinals (Opening Night vs. Chicago Cubs on Apr. 2; at New York Yankees on Apr. 16; at Chicago Cubs on June 4; at Chicago Cubs on July 23);

· Three appearances by the New York Mets (vs. Miami Marlins on Apr. 9; vs. Washington Nationals on Apr. 23; at Pittsburgh Pirates on May 28).

Opening Night & Sunday Night Baseball early-season schedule:

Date Time(ET) Telecast

Apr. 2 8:30 p.m. MLB Opening Night: Chicago Cubs at St. Louis Cardinals

Apr. 9 8 p.m. Miami Marlins at New York Mets telecast presented by Taco Bell

Apr. 16 8 p.m. St. Louis Cardinals at New York Yankees presented by Taco Bell

Apr. 23 8 p.m. Washington Nationals at New York Mets telecast presented by Taco Bell

Apr. 30 8 p.m. Chicago Cubs at Boston Red Sox telecast presented by Taco Bell

May 7 8 p.m. New York Yankees at Chicago Cubs telecast presented by Taco Bell

May 14 7:30 p.m. Houston Astros at New York Yankees telecast presented by Taco Bell

May 21 8 p.m. TBD

May 28 8 p.m. New York Mets at Pittsburgh Pirates telecast presented by Taco Bell

June 4 7:30 p.m. St. Louis Cardinals at Chicago Cubs telecast presented by Taco Bell

June 11 8 p.m. TBD

June 18 8 p.m. TBD

June 25 8 p.m. TBD

July 2 8 p.m. TBD

July 9 8 p.m. Detroit Tigers at Cleveland Indians telecast presented by Taco Bell

July 16 8 p.m. New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox telecast presented by Taco Bell

July 23 8 p.m. St. Louis Cardinals at Chicago Cubs telecast presented by Taco Bell

Note: game selections for 'tbd' dates in May and June, and for dates after July 23, will be made up to two weeks in advance.

ESPN Radio - entering its 20th season of Major League Baseball coverage - will continue as the exclusive, national radio home of Sunday Night Baseball. Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN Radio is described by Jon "Boog" Sciambi and analyst Chris Singleton. Weekly coverage begins at 7 p.m. and is also streamed on ESPNRadio.com and via the ESPN app. additionally, all MLB on ESPN Radio games will be preceded by the one-hour Baseball Tonight pre-game show offering news, previews and analysis of upcoming games.

ESPN Deportes enters its 14th season as the Spanish-language home to Sunday Night Baseball.

Sunday Night Baseball is also available across ESPN International platforms in Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean, the Pacific Rim and on cruise ships.