SEATTLE -- With the World Baseball Classic coming up in March, the Mariners will open Spring Training a week earlier than normal next year in preparation for their 2017 season.
The Mariners announced Thursday that pitchers and catchers will report on Feb. 14 to the Peoria Sports Complex in Arizona, and a 37-game Cactus League schedule kicks off on Feb. 25 against the Padres.
Position players will report to Peoria on Feb. 18, with the first full-team workout set for Feb. 19, under the direction of second-year manager Scott Servais.
The 37-game Cactus League slate matches the most Spring Training games in Mariners history, a mark first set in 2009, which was also a WBC year.
The WBC is held every four years and teams extend their Spring Training schedules in those seasons in order to allow players to have sufficient time to prepare with their Major League clubs before and after participating in the world tournament with their countries' teams.
The WBC is scheduled for March 7-22, with 16 teams from five continents competing. The Mariners' Cactus League schedule runs through April 1, when Seattle closes against the Rockies in a 12:40 p.m. PT game at Salt River Field in Scottsdale, Ariz.
The Mariners will then head to Houston for their April 3 regular-season opener against the Astros. Seattle's home opener will be April 10 against Houston at Safeco FIeld.
Highlights of the Mariners' spring schedule include:
• 20 games at the Peoria Sports Complex, including 18 in which the Mariners are considered the home club.
• Five night games, including three in Peoria (March 8 vs. Cleveland; March 21 vs. Oakland; March 31 vs. Colorado).
• Back-to-back road and home against the World Series champion Cubs on March 9-10.
• Two games against the American League champion Indians (March 1 at Goodyear and March 8 at Peoria).
• A postgame fireworks show at the Peoria Sports Complex on March 31 to close out the home Spring Training schedule following a 6:40 p.m. PT game against the Rockies.
• Nine games against AL West division rivals: four games against the Rangers, three against the Angels and two vs. the A's.
Information on TV and radio coverage on MLB.TV, Root Sports Northwest and 710 ESPN Seattle will be announced at a later date.
A special presale of Cactus League tickets for Mariners season-ticket holders and mariners.com registered users will take place Dec. 3-5. Single-game tickets will be available to all fans, online only at mariners.com/tickets beginning Saturday, Dec. 10.
The Peoria box office opens on Saturday, Jan. 28.
Spring Training travel packages are now available through mariners.com/springtraining.