ESPN will air the MLB spring training opening game Thursday, February 22. The Los Angeles Dodgers take on the San Diego Padres at the Peoria Sports Complex in Arizona. The Cactus League contest starts at 3:10 p.m. (ET), or 1:10 p.m. local time.
The Dodgers picked up superstar pitcher/slugger Shohei Ohtani in the offseason, and Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto as well.
Several other teams start up a day later. Besides the Dodgers and Padres again on ESPN February 23, with a 1:05 local time first pitch, the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers play in Surprise, Arizona; the Chicago Cubs face off against the crosstown rival Chicago White Sox in Mesa, Arizona; (that one on NBC Sports Chicago and Marquee Sports Network starting at 3:05 ET); and the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies battle in Scottsdale.
On to the Grapefruit League, where the Boston Red Sox play the Northeastern Huskies in Fort Myers, Florida, on Friday, February 23, with the game on NESN starting at 1:05 ET. The Minnesota Twins play the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers that evening, also in Fort Myers.
Every MLB team has a game on Saturday, February 24.
Spring training games end March 26 and the regular MLB season starts March 28.
