The Athletics will open their last spring training before they move to Las Vegas — if there is labor peace.
Major League Baseball said Friday that all 30 teams are scheduled to play exhibition games that day in Florida and Arizona as part of the leadup to the season’s start on March 24.
However, the sport’s collective bargaining agreement expires Dec. 1 and management is expected to impose a lockout that would freeze offseason trades and signings. MLB has proposed a salary cap for the first time since the 7 1/2-month strike in 1994-95, and the players’ association says it never will agree to a cap system.
Spring training workouts are scheduled to start Feb. 9. The Athletics will open their spring schedule by hosting the Chicago Cubs on Feb. 19 at Hokoham Park.
The Athletics’ inital spring schedule features 31 games, including 16 games at Hohokam Park. The spring schedule does not feature any games at Las Vegas Ballpark for the venue’s annual Big League Weekend, but this year’s Las Vegas exhibition games were included on the first spring training, either.
In 2022, an agreement wasn’t reached until March 10, causing opening day to be pushed back from March 31 to April 7. Spring training games had been scheduled to start Feb. 25 and wound up beginning on March 17.
This year’s exhibition schedule includes several matchups at regular-season ballparks from March 20-23, including Boston at San Francisco, Toronto and Detroit at Tampa Bay, and the Freeway Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Angels.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Athletics spring training schedule
February
Feb. 19 — Chicago Cubs, Hohokam Stadium, Mesa, Ariz.
Feb. 20 — Texas Rangers, Surprise Stadium, Surprise, Ariz.
Feb. 21 — Arizona Diamondbacks, Hohokam Stadium, Mesa, Ariz.
Feb. 22 — Colorado Rockies, Hohokam Stadium, Mesa, Ariz.
Feb. 23 — Seattle Mariners, Peoria Sports Complex, Peoria, Ariz.
Feb. 24 — San Francisco Giants, Scottsdale Stadium, Scottsdale, Ariz.
Feb. 25 — Milwaukee Brewers, Hohokam Stadium, Mesa, Ariz.
Feb. 26 — Los Angeles Dodgers, Hohokam Stadium, Mesa, Ariz.
Feb. 27 — Los Angeles Angels, Tempe Diablo Stadium, Tempe, Ariz.
Feb. 28 — Seattle Mariners, Hohokam Stadium, Mesa, Ariz.
March
March 1 — San Diego Padres, Peoria Sports Complex, Peoria, Ariz.
March 3 — San Francisco Giants, Hohokam Stadium, Mesa, Ariz.
March 4 — Cincinnati Reds, Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear, Ariz.
March 5 — Chicago White Sox, Hohokam Stadium, Mesa, Ariz.
March 6 — Cleveland Guardians, Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear, Ariz.
March 7 — Texas Rangers, Hohokam Stadium, Mesa, Ariz.
March 8 — Arizona Diamondbacks, Salt River Fields, Scottsdale, Ariz.
March 9 — San Diego Padres, Hohokam Stadium, Mesa, Ariz.
March 10 — Chicago Cubs, Sloan Park, Mesa, Ariz.
March 11 — Kansas City Royals, Surprise Stadium, Surprise, Ariz.
March 12 — Colorado Rockies, Hohokam Stadium, Mesa, Ariz.
March 13 — Cleveland Guardians, Hohokam Stadium, Mesa, Ariz.
March 14 — Chicago Cubs, Sloan Park, Mesa, Ariz.
March 15 — Milwaukee Brewers, American Family Fields of Phoenix, Phoenix, Ariz.
March 17 — Colorado Rockies, Salt River Fields, Scottsdale, Ariz.
March 17 — Cincinnati Reds, Hohokam Stadium, Mesa, Ariz. (split squad)
March 18 — Los Angeles Angels, Hohokam Stadium, Mesa, Ariz.
March 19 — Los Angeles Dodgers, Camelback Ranch, Glendale, Ariz.
March 20 — Kansas City Royals, Hohokam Stadium, Mesa, Ariz.
March 21 — Chicago White Sox, Camelback Ranch, Glendale, Ariz.
March 22 — Cleveland Guardians, Hohokam Stadium, Mesa, Ariz.
