By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
Does ESPN know something that we do not?
For the first time since 2009, the Philadelphia Phillies will lead off ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" schedule, when on March 31, they host the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park, according to The Athletic's Meghan Montemurro.
The game will be the club's third game of the season in its opening series under second-year manager Gabe Kapler. The contest was originally slated for 1:05 p.m.
The Phillies' "Sunday Night Baseball" opener nearly one decade prior, on April 5, 2009, also came home against the Braves. The Phillies fell, 4-1, with starter Brett Myers allowing four runs on eight hits, one walk and three home runs surrendered spanning six innings. Jayson Werth produced the Phillies' lone run with a one-out RBI single in the bottom of the ninth.
ESPN is likely anticipating the Phillies complete a blockbuster signing of a top free agent like Bryce Harper, Manny Machado and/or Patrick Corbin. A potential trade for James Paxton is out the window, however, as the New York Yankees acquired him on Monday from the Seattle Mariners for a slew of top prospects.
