Cards announce Spring Training schedule
ST. LOUIS -- The Cardinals will hold their first Spring Training full-squad workout on Feb. 18 and then begin their 32-game Grapefruit League slate one week later, the club announced on Thursday.
This will be the team's 20th year holding Spring Training at its Jupiter, Fla., complex. The report date for pitchers and catchers has been set for Feb. 14, three days ahead of the report date for position players.
• Cardinals' Spring Training schedule
With the Nationals and Astros set to open a new facility in Palm Beach County this spring, the Cardinals will see their Grapefruit League travel cut down significantly. Twenty-seven of their games will be played within an hour of Roger Dean Stadium. That includes three road games against the Nationals, two against the Astros and three in Port St. Lucie against the Mets.
Their other road trips include those to face the Braves (Feb. 28 and March 19), Red Sox (Feb. 27) and Twins (March 6 and 15).
The Cardinals will host 16 games at Roger Dean Stadium and play another three there as the "visiting" team against the Marlins, with whom they share the facility. All of the team's home games will begin at 12:05 p.m. CT. The Cardinals open their spring schedule with back-to-back games at Roger Dean Stadium against the Marlins on Feb. 25 and 26.
In total, the Marlins and Cardinals will play each other seven times in Grapefruit League competition. Other teams that will travel to play the Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium include the Nationals, Astros, Braves, Mets and Twins.
The Cardinals will end their exhibition schedule with a pair of games at their top two affiliates. They'll visit Memphis for a 7:05 p.m. CT game on March 31, followed by a 5:05 p.m. CT game in Springfield the day after. The club then opens its 2017 season at home against the defending World Champion Cubs on April 3.
Tickets for games in Jupiter will go on sale at 9 a.m. CT on Jan. 7. At that time, fans can make those purchases via cardinals.com or in person at Roger Dean Stadium. Spring Training season tickets and mini-plans are already available by calling 561-630-1828.