Attendance at MLB games is riding strong momentum heading into the inaugural Rivalry Weekend.
MLB announced on Thursday that attendance at Wednesday's 16 gates (17 games) averaged 31,350 fans, for a total attendance of 501,596 -- the largest ever for a Wednesday in April or May.
Fans who bought a ticket to watch in person saw some big moments, including a 444-foot home run from Yankees slugger Aaron Judge in Seattle, a Twins doubleheader sweep against the Orioles in Baltimore that pushed their winning streak to 10 games and a four-homer barrage from the Dodgers in Los Angeles that included Shohei Ohtani's 13th long ball of the season.
Not a bad prelude for the first Rivalry Weekend, which begins Friday and is expected to also see large crowds as historical geographic rivalries battle on the field.
Highlights include a three-game series in New York between the Mets and Yankees at Yankee Stadium, a three-game set in Chicago between the White Sox and Cubs at Wrigley Field and in-state matchups between the Guardians and Reds in Cincinnati and the Cardinals and Royals in Kansas City.