Braves baseball will return on Feb. 23 when Atlanta opens Grapefruit League play against the New York Mets in Port St. Lucie, Fla. It will be the Braves’ final spring training at the Disney facility.
Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report Feb. 13, while play around the league will open on Feb. 23 or 24. Atlanta will play 33 games before the start of the regular season, with 18 coming at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex.
The Braves’ first home game comes Feb. 26 against the Nationals. The Braves will play their final home game at the Disney facility on March 24 against the Yankees. They will conclude spring training in Florida against the Tigers in Lakeland on March 25, four days before opening day.
Atlanta wraps up its exhibition schedule with two games at SunTrust Park on March 26-27. The Yankees visit on Monday, while the Braves Future Stars game is Tuesday.
The organization broke ground on a new spring training site in North Port, Florida, set to be tenable in 2019. The Braves have trained at the Wide World of Sports since 1998.
West Villages in North Port will host the new facilities. The Braves wanted a more centralized site, with their current Orlando-area location resulting in longer travel times. Their new home will be within an hour of five other teams.
The 2018 spring training exhibition games will begin Feb. 21 when Arizona hosts Arizona State in Scottsdale. The Braves won’t face any unique opponents this spring; just the usual major-league rivals, including the Tigers, Yankees, Blue Jays and Astros of the American League.
Three of the Braves’ home games are scheduled for evening starts: the Yankees (March 9), Phillies (March 12) and Tigers (March 21). Each will begin at 6:05 p.m.
March 29 marks the earliest opening day in MLB history, a result of a new format set by the Basic Agreement between MLB and the players association. It will also be the 12th season, and first since 2011, to begin on a Thursday. Every team will open on the same day for the first time since 1968.
The Braves will hold their first opening day at SunTrust Park when the Phillies visit on March 29.
2018 Braves spring training schedule
Feb. 23, Braves at Mets
Feb. 24, Braves at Astros
Feb. 25, Braves at Nationals
Feb. 26, Nationals at Braves
Feb. 27, Pirates at Braves
Feb. 28, Mets at Braves
March 1, Nationals at Braves (split squad)
March 1, Braves at Tigers (split squad)
March 2, Braves at Yankees
March 3, Cardinals at Braves
March 4, Marlins at Braves
March 5, Pirates at Braves
March 8, Astros at Braves
March 9, Yankees at Braves
March 10, Braves at Pirates
March 11, Braves at Tigers
March 12, Phillies at Braves
March 13, Blue Jays at Braves
March 14, Phillies at Braves
March 15, Tigers at Braves
March 16, Braves at Pirates
March 17, Cardinals at Braves (split squad)
March 17, Braves at Phillies (split squad)
March 18, Braves at Astros
March 19, Blue Jays at Braves
March 21, Tigers at Braves
March 22, Braves at Cardinals
March 23, Tigers at Braves
March 24, Yankees at Braves
March 25, Braves at Tigers
March 27, Yankees at Braves (SunTrust Park)
March 28, Braves Future Stars game (SunTrust Park)
