Detroit Tigers: Spring training is almost here!

We are just days away from spring training getting underway for the Detroit Tigers. Here we look at some key dates and things to look forward to for 2020.

Detroit Tigers fans: Spring training is almost here! Despite the typical cold Michigan weather of early February, it won’t be long before the boys of summer head down to Lakeland, Florida to prepare for yet another season of Tigers baseball.

The first thing fans need to know is that pitchers and catchers report to spring training camp in just five days! February 12 is the day that camp opens, which is tied for the earliest report date in the major leagues. Pitchers and catchers typically report a few days before the rest of the team does; for everyone else, the report date is on February 17.

Those of you going through Tigers baseball withdrawals and wanting to see some game action don’t have much longer to wait, either. The Tigers’ first exhibition game will be on Friday, February 21 at 1:05 against Southeastern University, with the first major league game taking place a day later at 1:05 against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Tigers play their spring home games at Publix Field at Joker Merchant Stadium.

I hope that many of you have the opportunity to see the Tigers in person in Florida this year, but if not, you can catch them on TV and the radio. Many games will be on local radio in Detroit, including that 2/22 game against the Phillies on WXYT 97.1 FM. The first televised game will be a split-squad contest against the Atlanta Braves on 2/23 at 1:05 on Fox Sports Detroit.

It all leads up to the season opener on March 26 against the Cleveland Indians, followed by the home opener on March 30 against the Kansas City Royals. While the Tigers are in a rebuilding phase, there’s still plenty to keep an eye on this season, including Miguel Cabrera‘s quest for 3,000 hits and 500 home runs, new players such as C.J. Cron, Jonathan Schoop, Austin Romine, and Ivan Nova, and the development of all the up-and-coming talent. Regarding the latter, we’re sure to see plenty of prospects on display in Grapefruit League action this spring.

So, as the offseason is coming to a close, prepare yourself for another great season of Detroit Tigers baseball, which is set to kick off in just five days. No matter what happens on the field, hopefully, it should be a fun spring and summer.