How an MLB season unfolds, with three parts: Spring Training, the regular season, and the playoffs before reaching the World Series. We’ll break down each part to help you follow the season from start to finish.
Spring Training
This is where each team’s preparation camps take place. Pitchers and catchers arrive first to regain their rhythm, as they are the game’s backbone and must build chemistry. They’ll then work together on signals and drill their routines.
Next, the fielders join the team’s training camp, usually arriving no later than a week after the pitchers and catchers, just a few days before the exhibition games begin.
There are 24 training centers across two states: Florida (14) and Arizona (10). With 30 teams, some centers host two teams. The teams are split into two leagues: the Cactus League (Arizona) and the Grapefruit League (Florida). Teams can only face opponents within their own league. This is the managers’ chance to assess their rosters before the season starts.
The Grapefruit League
Atlanta Braves: Champion Stadium, Lake Buena Vista at Walt Disney World Resort
Baltimore Orioles: Fort Lauderdale Stadium at Fort Lauderdale
Boston Red Sox: City of Palms Park at Fort Myers
Detroit Tigers: Joker Marchant Stadium at Lakeland
Miami Marlins: Roger Dean Stadium at Jupiter
Houston Astros: Osceola County Stadium at Kissimmee
Minnesota Twins: Hammond Stadium at Fort Myers
New York Mets: First Data Field at Port Saint Lucie
New York Yankees: George M. Steinbrenner Field at Tampa
Philadelphia Phillies: Bright House Field at Clearwater
Pittsburgh Pirates: McKechnie Field at Bradenton
St. Louis Cardinals: Roger Dean Stadium at Jupiter
Tampa Bay Rays: Charlotte Sports Park at Port Charlotte
Toronto Blue Jays: Dunedin Stadium at Dunedin
Washington Nationals: Space Coast Stadium at Viera
The Cactus League
Arizona Diamondbacks: Salt River Fields at Talking Stick at Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community
Chicago Cubs: Cubs Park at Mesa
Chicago White Sox: Camelback Ranch at Glendale
Cincinnati Reds: Goodyear Ballpark at Goodyear
Cleveland: Goodyear Ballpark at Goodyear
Colorado Rockies: Salt River Fields at Talking Stick at Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community
Kansas City Royals: Surprise Stadium at Surprise
Los Angeles Angels: Tempe Diablo Stadium at Tempe
Los Angeles Dodgers: Camelback Ranch at Glendale
Milwaukee Brewers: Maryvale Baseball Park at Phoenix
Oakland Athletics: Hohokam Park at Mesa
San Diego Padres: Peoria Sports Complex at Peoria
San Francisco Giants: Scottsdale Stadium at Scottsdale
Seattle Mariners: Peoria Sports Complex at Peoria
Texas Rangers: Surprise Stadium at Surprise
The Regular Season
Once Spring Training wraps up, the real action begins for all 30 teams. The season is long, with each team playing 162 games. They’re split into two leagues: the American League and the National League, each with three divisions: East, Central, and West. In MLB, every matchup is a series, with teams facing off two or three times in a row. If a game is postponed due to weather or COVID-19, it’ll be rescheduled during the next series between those teams. Sometimes, that means a doubleheader, though since last season, makeup games are seven innings instead of the usual nine.
Some dates stand out during the regular season.
April 7, 2022: Opening Day – the season’s kickoff.
April 15, 2022: Jackie Robinson Day – honoring the player who broke the color barrier and became a civil rights icon. This date always falls on April 15th, marking Robinson’s MLB debut.
July 19, 2022: All-Star Game (Dodger Stadium) – like the NBA, MLB takes a break for this showcase between the National and American League stars. The Home Run Derby is a highlight of the weekend.
Wild Card
The road to the championship isn’t easy. This season, 12 teams make the playoffs, up from 10 last year. The two best division winners get a bye, while the third-best division winner and the next three top teams in each league face off in a best-of-three series. The third seed takes on the sixth, and the fourth hosts the fifth.
Division Series
After that round, the winner between the third and sixth seeds faces the league’s top seed. The winner of the fourth vs. fifth matchup takes on the league’s second seed. These are the Division Series, determining the two best teams in each league for the Championship Series. This time, it’s a best-of-five.
Championship Series
This is each league’s final, crowning the best team. The first to win four games claims their league’s title and advances to the World Series.
World Series
This is the season’s climax, with the two best teams battling for the Commissioner’s Trophy, baseball’s ultimate prize. The team with the better regular-season record gets home-field advantage. The World Series is a best-of-seven, with the first to four wins taking the title.
Now you’re ready to follow this MLB marathon. If this series sparks a passion for baseball and the MLB, mission accomplished. You’ll have plenty of chances to test your newfound knowledge throughout this exciting 2021 season. Grab a seat, get comfortable, and enjoy the ride.
THE FREE AGENT – AUTHOR: NICOLAS BLANCHARD
