Now that the NFL season is done after an exciting Super Bowl game, it’s time to turn our attention to the next big event on the sporting calendar: spring training. Here are the dates to focus on this month and next.
Feb. 10-14: Pitchers and catchers report to spring-training camps, with the first workouts scheduled for the following day. Here are the reporting dates for each MLB team.
Feb. 14-17: Position players report to spring-training camps, with the first full-squad workouts scheduled for the following day. Here are the reporting dates for each MLB team. This includes players invited to work their way into a roster spot, as well as higher-level minor leaguers who are far likelier to be sent later to the minor-league camp. Because of the large number of players participating in workouts, tracking everyone can be a little challenging. Here is our overview of spring-training workouts before the games start. It is a little vague, as MLB teams do not post the specifics of spring-training workouts: The assumption is that practices are for the players, not the fans. You are welcome to show up and observe from a polite distance, though many players do make a point of signing autographs.
Feb. 21: The first exhibition games are played, with college opponents in the Grapefruit League and a Texas/Kansas City exhibition in the Cactus League. Yes, we’ll be in Lakeland for our annual trek to the Detroit Tigers spring opener.
Feb. 22: This is the start of the official Cactus League and Grapefruit League schedule. Note that workouts are limited once the official games begin.
March 22: This is the last day of the official Cactus League and Grapefruit League schedule.
March 23-24: These two days allow for exhibition games in Florida, Arizona and on the road. Some teams, like the Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels, Milwaukee Brewers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants, choose to play games at their home MLB ballparks, while other teams play a pair of games at a neutral site, as is the case with the Toronto Blue Jays annually playing at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium. The Texas Rangers will use the two days to run Globe Life Field through its paces before the regular-season opener.
March 25: Every MLB team has the day off.
March 26: The MLB regular season begins.