When Does Spring Training Start?
The eagerly anticipated season of baseball is finally here, and for many baseball fans, it’s time to indulge in the nostalgia of spring training. The spring training season typically starts in late February or early March and lasts for around six weeks. During this period, major league baseball teams begin their preparations for the upcoming season by competing against each other in a series of games and meetings. Here’s a breakdown of the spring training process and the answer to the question: When does spring training start?
Why Do Teams Participate in Spring Training?
Before we dive into the specifics of the spring training season, it’s worth understanding why teams participate in this process. Spring training serves several purposes:
- Physical Conditioning: Spring training provides an opportunity for teams to strengthen their players and rehabilitate those who are not yet ready to perform at full capacity.
- Team Building: Spring training allows teams to get to know each other better, develop chemistry, and make tactical decisions.
- Injury Prevention: By competing against each other, teams can introduce players to various pitching styles, defensive schemes, and other skills, helping to prevent injuries and optimize their lineups.
- Teaching Coaches: Spring training provides a platform for coaches to instruct players in new techniques, strategies, and equipment adjustments.
When Does Spring Training Start?
The exact start date of spring training varies from year to year, but generally, it falls between late February and early March. Here’s a rough outline of the process:
- Winter Ballclubs: Some teams, like the Philadelphia Phillies and the Boston Red Sox, begin their spring training up to a week or so before the start of official spring training. These teams pre-game their players with a series of anthropometric tests, which involve evaluating height, weight, and body fat percentage.
- Continuing Spring Training: The rest of the teams follow the schedule outlined below.
Spring Training Schedule
| Week | Day | Games | Home Team | Away Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thu | 1st game of spring training | Philadelphia Phillies | New York Mets |
| 2 | Fri | 2nd game of spring training | Boston Red Sox | Atlanta Braves |
| 3 | Sat | 3rd game of spring training | San Francisco Giants | Arizona Diamondbacks |
| 4 | Sun | 4th game of spring training | Los Angeles Dodgers | Chicago Cubs |
| 5 | Mon | 5th game of spring training | St. Louis Cardinals | Miami Marlins |
| 6 | Tue | 6th game of spring training | Pittsburgh Pirates | Washington Nationals |
| 7 | Wed | 7th game of spring training | Detroit Tigers | Kansas City Royals |
| 8 | Thu | 8th game of spring training | Houston Astros | Colorado Rockies |
| 9 | Fri | 9th game of spring training | Tampa Bay Rays | Minnesota Twins |
| 10 | Sat | 10th game of spring training | Texas Rangers | New York Yankees |
| 11 | Sun | 11th game of spring training | Arizona Diamondbacks | Oakland Athletics |
| 12 | Mon | 12th game of spring training | Philadelphia Phillies | Atlanta Braves |
| 13 | Tue | 13th game of spring training | Boston Red Sox | Miami Marlins |
| 14 | Wed | 14th game of spring training | San Francisco Giants | Chicago Cubs |
| 15 | Thu | 15th game of spring training | Los Angeles Dodgers | Detroit Tigers |
| 16 | Fri | 16th game of spring training | St. Louis Cardinals | Kansas City Royals |
| 17 | Sat | 17th game of spring training | Pittsburgh Pirates | Washington Nationals |
| 18 | Sun | 18th game of spring training | Tampa Bay Rays | New York Yankees |
| 19 | Mon | 19th game of spring training | Texas Rangers | Minnesota Twins |
| 20 | Tue | 20th game of spring training | Arizona Diamondbacks | Oakland Athletics |
| 21 | Wed | 21st game of spring training | Philadelphia Phillies | Atlanta Braves |
| 22 | Thu | 22nd game of spring training | Boston Red Sox | Miami Marlins |
| 23 | Fri | 23rd game of spring training | San Francisco Giants | Chicago Cubs |
| 24 | Sat | 24th game of spring training | Los Angeles Dodgers | Detroit Tigers |
| 25 | Sun | 25th game of spring training | St. Louis Cardinals | Kansas City Royals |
| 26 | Mon | 26th game of spring training | Pittsburgh Pirates | Washington Nationals |
| 27 | Tue | 27th game of spring training | Tampa Bay Rays | New York Yankees |
| 28 | Wed | 28th game of spring training | Texas Rangers | Minnesota Twins |
| 29 | Thu | 29th game of spring training | Arizona Diamondbacks | Oakland Athletics |
| 30 | Fri | 30th game of spring training | Philadelphia Phillies | Atlanta Braves |
| 31 | Sat | 31st game of spring training | Boston Red Sox | Miami Marlins |
| 32 | Sun | 32nd game of spring training | San Francisco Giants | Chicago Cubs |
| 33 | Mon | 33rd game of spring training | Los Angeles Dodgers | Detroit Tigers |
| 34 | Tue | 34th game of spring training | St. Louis Cardinals | Kansas City Royals |
| 35 | Wed | 35th game of spring training | Pittsburgh Pirates | Washington Nationals |
| 36 | Thu | 36th game of spring training | Tampa Bay Rays | New York Yankees |
| 37 | Fri | 37th game of spring training | Texas Rangers | Minnesota Twins |
| 38 | Sat | 38th game of spring training | Arizona Diamondbacks | Oakland Athletics |
| 39 | Sun | 39th game of spring training | Philadelphia Phillies | Atlanta Braves |
| 40 | Mon | 40th game of spring training | Boston Red Sox | Miami Marlins |
| 41 | Tue | 41st game of spring training | San Francisco Giants | Chicago Cubs |
| 42 | Wed | 42nd game of spring training | Los Angeles Dodgers | Detroit Tigers |
| 43 | Thu | 43rd game of spring training | St. Louis Cardinals | Kansas City Royals |
| 44 | Fri | 44th game of spring training | Pittsburgh Pirates | Washington Nationals |
| 45 | Sat | 45th game of spring training | Tampa Bay Rays | New York Yankees |
| 46 | Sun | 46th game of spring training | Texas Rangers | Minnesota Twins |
| 47 | Mon | 47th game of spring training | Arizona Diamondbacks | Oakland Athletics |
| 48 | Tue | 48th game of spring training | Philadelphia Phillies | Atlanta Braves |
| 49 | Wed | 49th game of spring training | Boston Red Sox | Miami Marlins |
| 50 | Thu | 50th game of spring training | San Francisco Giants | Chicago Cubs |
| 51 | Fri | 51st game of spring training | Los Angeles Dodgers | Detroit Tigers |
| 52 | Sat | 52nd game of spring training | St. Louis Cardinals | Kansas City Royals |
| 53 | Sun | 53rd game of spring training | Pittsburgh Pirates | Washington Nationals |
| 54 | Mon | 54th game of spring training | Tampa Bay Rays | New York Yankees |
| 55 | Tue | 55th game of spring training | Texas Rangers | Minnesota Twins |
| 56 | Wed | 56th game of spring training | Arizona Diamondbacks | Oakland Athletics |
| 57 | Thu | 57th game of spring training | Philadelphia Phillies | Atlanta Braves |
| 58 | Fri | 58th game of spring training | Boston Red Sox | Miami Marlins |
| 59 | Sat | 59th game of spring training | San Francisco Giants | Chicago Cubs |
| 60 | Sun | 60th game of spring training | Los Angeles Dodgers | Detroit Tigers |
| 61 | Mon | 61st game of spring training | St. Louis Cardinals | Kansas City Royals |
| 62 | Tue | 62nd game of spring training | Pittsburgh Pirates | Washington Nationals |
| 63 | Wed | 63rd game of spring training | Tampa Bay Rays | New York Yankees |
| 64 | Thu | 64th game of spring training | Texas Rangers | Minnesota Twins |
| 65 | Fri | 65th game of spring training | Arizona Diamondbacks | Oakland Athletics |
| 66 | Sat | 66th game of spring training | Philadelphia Phillies | Atlanta Braves |
| 67 | Sun | 67th game of spring training | Boston Red Sox | Miami Marlins |
| 68 | Mon | 68th game of spring training | San Francisco Giants | Chicago Cubs |
| 69 | Tue | 69th game of spring training | Los Angeles Dodgers | Detroit Tigers |
| 70 | Wed | 70th game of spring training | St. Louis Cardinals | Kansas City Royals |
| 71 | Thu | 71st game of spring training | Pittsburgh Pirates | Washington Nationals |
| 72 | Fri | 72nd game of spring training | Tampa Bay Rays | New York Yankees |
| 73 | Sat | 73rd game of spring training | Texas Rangers | Minnesota Twins |
| 74 | Sun | 74th game of spring training | Arizona Diamondbacks | Oakland Athletics |
| 75 | Mon | 75th game of spring training | Philadelphia Phillies | Atlanta Braves |
| 76 | Tue | 76th game of spring training | Boston Red Sox | Miami Marlins |
| 77 | Wed | 77th game of spring training | San Francisco Giants | Chicago Cubs |
| 78 | Thu | 78th game of spring training | Los Angeles Dodgers | Detroit Tigers |
| 79 | Fri | 79th game of spring training | St. Louis Cardinals | Kansas City Royals |
| 80 | Sat | 80th game of spring training | Pittsburgh Pirates | Washington Nationals |
| 81 | Sun | 81st game of spring training | Tampa Bay Rays | New York Yankees |
| 82 | Mon | 82nd game of spring training | Texas Rangers | Minnesota Twins |
| 83 | Tue | 83rd game of spring training | Arizona Diamondbacks | Oakland Athletics |
| 84 | Wed | 84th game of spring training | Philadelphia Phillies | Atlanta Braves |
| 85 | Thu | 85th game of spring training | Boston Red Sox | Miami Marlins |
| 86 | Fri | 86th game of spring training | San Francisco Giants | Chicago Cubs |
| 87 | Sat | 87th game of spring training | Los Angeles Dodgers | Detroit Tigers |
| 88 | Sun | 88th game of spring training | St. Louis Cardinals | Kansas City Royals |
| 89 | Mon | 89th game of spring training | Pittsburgh Pirates | Washington Nationals |
| 90 | Tue | 90th game of spring training | Tampa Bay Rays | New York Yankees |
| 91 | Wed | 91st game of spring training | Texas Rangers | Minnesota Twins |
| 92 | Thu | 92nd game of spring training | Arizona Diamondbacks | Oakland Athletics |
| 93 | Fri | 93rd game of spring training | Philadelphia Phillies | Atlanta Braves |
| 94 | Sat | 94th game of spring training | Boston Red Sox | Miami Marlins |
| 95 | Sun | 95th game of spring training | San Francisco Giants | Chicago Cubs |
| 96 | Mon | 96th game of spring training | Los Angeles Dodgers | Detroit Tigers |
| 97 | Tue | 97th game of spring training | St. Louis Cardinals | Kansas City Royals |
| 98 | Wed | 98th game of spring training | Pittsburgh Pirates | Washington Nationals |
| 99 | Thu | 99th game of spring training | Tampa Bay Rays | New York Yankees |
| 100 | Fri | 100th game of spring training | Texas Rangers | Minnesota Twins |
| 101 | Sat | 101st game of spring training | Arizona Diamondbacks | Oakland Athletics |
| 102 | Sun | 102nd game of spring training | Philadelphia Phillies | Atlanta Braves |
| 103 | Mon | 103rd game of spring training | Boston Red Sox | Miami Marlins |
| 104 | Tue | 104th game of spring training | San Francisco Giants | Chicago Cubs |
| 105 | Wed | 105th game of spring training | Los Angeles Dodgers | Detroit Tigers |
| 106 | Thu | 106th game of spring training | St. Louis Cardinals | Kansas City Royals |
| 107 | Fri | 107th game of spring training | Pittsburgh Pirates | Washington Nationals |
| 108 | Sat | 108th game of spring training | Tampa Bay Rays | New York Yankees |
| 109 | Sun | 109th game of spring training | Texas Rangers | Minnesota Twins |
| 110 | Mon | 110th game of spring training | Arizona Diamondbacks | Oakland Athletics |
| 111 | Tue | 111th game of spring training | Philadelphia Phillies | Atlanta Braves |
| 112 | Wed | 112th game of spring training | Boston Red Sox | Miami Marlins |
| 113 | Thu | 113th game of spring training | San Francisco Giants | Chicago Cubs |
| 114 | Fri | 114th game of spring training | Los Angeles Dodgers | Detroit Tigers |
| 115 | Sat | 115th game of spring training | St. Louis Cardinals | Kansas City Royals |
| 116 | Sun | 116th game of spring training | Pittsburgh Pirates | Washington Nationals |
| 117 | Mon | 117th game of spring training | Tampa Bay Rays | New York Yankees |
| 118 | Tue | 118th game of spring training | Texas Rangers | Minnesota Twins |
| 119 | Wed | 119th game of spring training | Arizona Diamondbacks | Oakland Athletics |
| 120 | Thu | 120th game of spring training | Philadelphia Phillies | Atlanta Braves |
| 121 | Fri | 121st game of spring training | Boston Red Sox | Miami Marlins |
| 122 | Sat | 122nd game of spring training | San Francisco Giants | Chicago Cubs |
| 123 | Sun | 123rd game of spring training | Los Angeles Dodgers | Detroit Tigers |
| 124 | Mon | 124th game of spring training | St. Louis Cardinals | Kansas City Royals |
| 125 | Tue | 125th game of spring training | Pittsburgh Pirates | Washington Nationals |
| 126 | Wed | 126th game of spring training | Tampa Bay Rays | New York Yankees |
| 127 | Thu | 127th game of spring training | Texas Rangers | Minnesota Twins |
| 128 | Fri | 128th game of spring training | Arizona Diamondbacks | Oakland Athletics |
| 129 | Sat | 129th game of spring training | Philadelphia Phillies | Atlanta Braves |
| 130 | Sun | 130th game of spring training | Boston Red Sox | Miami Marlins |
| 131 | Mon | 131st game of spring training | San Francisco Giants | Chicago Cubs |
| 132 | Tue | 132nd game of spring training | Los Angeles Dodgers | Detroit Tigers |
| 133 | Wed | 133rd game of spring training | St. Louis Cardinals | Kansas City Royals |
| 134 | Thu | 134th game of spring training | Pittsburgh Pirates | Washington Nationals |
| 135 | Fri | 135th game of spring training | Tampa Bay Rays | New York Yankees |
| 136 | Sat | 136th game of spring training | Texas Rangers | Minnesota Twins |
| 137 | Sun | 137th game of spring training | Arizona Diamondbacks | Oakland Athletics |
| 138 | Mon | 138th game of spring training | Philadelphia Phillies | Atlanta Braves |
| 139 | Tue | 139th game of spring training | Boston Red Sox | Miami Marlins |
| 140 | Wed | 140th game of spring training | San Francisco Giants | Chicago Cubs |
| 141 | Thu | 141st game of spring training | Los Angeles Dodgers | Detroit Tigers |
| 142 | Fri | 142nd game of spring training | St. Louis Cardinals | Kansas City Royals |
| 143 | Sat | 143rd game of spring training | Pittsburgh Pirates | Washington Nationals |