ATLANTA (Interstat) — The Atlanta Braves, looking to build on a strong finish to the 2025 season, open their 2026 campaign at home Friday against the Kansas City Royals at Truist Park.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:20 p.m. EDT under cloudy skies with a game-time temperature near 81 degrees.

Both clubs enter with 0-0 records. The Braves concluded last season with a 4-1 win over Pittsburgh on Sept. 28, while the Royals ended their year on the same day with a 9-2 victory in Oakland.

Despite being installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5, Atlanta is projected to be in for a tight pitchers’ duel. The Interstat game simulator forecasts a narrow 1-0 victory for the visiting Royals. The over/under for the contest is set at 7 runs.

The series continues through the weekend, with games scheduled for Saturday and Sunday in Sandy Springs before both teams embark on different paths. Following Sunday’s finale, the Royals will head home to open a series against the Minnesota Twins on Monday. The Braves will remain at home to host the Athletics beginning Monday.

Kansas City’s early schedule is heavily weighted at Kauffman Stadium after this trip, with series against the Twins and Milwaukee Brewers before a road trip to Cleveland. Atlanta, after its homestand against the Royals and Athletics, will embark on a lengthy West Coast road trip. The Braves are set for a four-game series in Arizona against the Diamondbacks starting April 2, followed by a series against the Los Angeles Angels.

Friday’s opener marks the first step for both clubs in what they hope will be a journey back to postseason contention. The Braves will rely on their home-field advantage at Truist Park, where they were among the National League’s best last season, while the Royals aim to defy the odds and the spread with a road victory to start the year.