A's Spring Training Report Date, and Everything Else You Need to Know
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It's February, which means that Spring Training is right around the corner. The A's are entering 2026 with their sights set on making it to the postseason for the first time since 2020 after finishing with a 76-86 record a year ago. They're on an upward trajectory, and their offensive group figures to be one the best in baseball, anchored by Nick Kurtz, Jacob Wilson, Brent Rooker and company.
This team has plenty of bats, but their pitching staff is still a bit of a question mark. Last season they finished ranked 27th in ERA with a cumulative 4.71 mark, and this season they are looking for their young arms to take a step forward to produce the better team-wide results they're after.
That's the short version. Now, for the much longer and detailed version of where the A's stand entering camp.
When A's pitchers and catchers report
The A's will be opening camp on Wednesday, February 12 when pitchers and catchers report, and will hold their first full-squad workout just a few days later on Monday, February 17.
Pitchers and catchers: Wednesday, February 12
First full-squad workout: Monday, February 17
First spring game: Saturday, February 21 at Chicago White Sox (Camelback Ranch)
The A's play their home games during the spring at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Arizona. For those traveling to the ballpark, the address is 1235 N. Center Street Mesa, AZ 85201. The ballpark policies can be found here.
While not too many games will be broadcast live to view, most games should be available to listen to. Going through the MLB app is the most straightforward way, but there are also radio stations for those on the go, including 650 AM in Sacramento, 960 AM in the Bay Area, and 95.5 FM in Las Vegas.
Big games to keep an eye on
The A's will be playing the Giants twice in the first full week of games, heading to Scottsdale on Monday, February 23, and then playing the Giants at home on Saturday, February 28. These will also be the only two times that the team match up against one another all spring.
One of the bigger games on the schedule will be on Tuesday, March 3, when the A's host the Brazilian national team for a World Baseball Classic tune-up. Luis Severino is set to be the only A's player to participate in this year's WBC, for the Dominican Republic.
The A's and Los Angeles Dodgers only have two matchups this spring, and the one in Mesa will be a split squad contest for the Athletics on Sunday, March 8. They'll also face off in Glendale on Saturday, March 21 in one of the team's final tune-ups before the regular season.
The following day will be one to circle for the prospect hounds, as the A's will take on the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, March 22 in the Spring Breakout game. This is the one that features the top prospects on both squads going head-to-head, and is a good way to see what your team's farm system looks like heading into the new year.
The following day, Monday, March 23, the A's will be playing their spring finale against the Chicago White Sox, this time at home. With the White Sox making a number of moves this winter, this could be a good litmus test for both clubs.
The White Sox are looking to take a step forward in 2026 after going 60-102, while the A's are trying to separate themselves further from the Sox, who seem to be trailing a year behind the A's in their own rebuild.
Position battles to watch
The biggest position battle to keep an eye on each day will be the battle for who will be the Opening Day third baseman. We've discussed it in depth this offseason, including projections, the internal and external options, and what the future could look like depending on who wins the battle.
As we head into camp, the three players firmly in the mix for the role are Max Muncy, Darell Hernaiz and Brett Harris. Muncy is seen as the favorite, but both he and Hernaiz could take steps forward this spring that land them the job. Harris is the best defender (and only natural third baseman) of the group, so if his bat picks up, he could also be firmly in that mix.
Last season the A's moved All-Star closer Mason Miller at the trade deadline, leaving them with an opening in the ninth inning. While the bullpen was the second-best in baseball over the final two months of the season, there appeared to be a little luck involved in the small sample size. They held a 2.99 ERA, behind just the Cleveland Guardians, but a 4.04 FIP, which ranked No. 13 in that span.
The A's haven't touched their pitching staff much at all, with Mark Leiter Jr. being the only addition on a big-league deal. He figures to be a late-inning option for the A's to begin the season, though he may not be the closer.
Seeing who the A's are favoring in the ninth inning will be interesting this spring, though they could continue to go with the closer by committee approach that worked well for the post-Miller roster. Hogan Harris led the way in that time with four saves and a 1.16 ERA (3.01 FIP), though they also have Elvis Alvarado, Leiter, Tyler Ferguson, Justin Sterner and Michael Kelly as potential options.
Who the closer ends up being could depend on how the rotation shakes out, too.
In the rotation, we know we have Luis Severino at the top, followed by Jeffrey Springs, Jacob Lopez and Luis Morales. Who will take over that fifth spot is an open question. While Jack Perkins seemingly has the highest ceiling to work with, he also missed time last season with a strained right shoulder. Will the A's look to limit his innings load and move him to the bullpen? He'd make a great closer.
That all said, the front office has stated in the past that they would like to keep Perkins in the rotation, where he's more valuable, if they can. If he's battling for a rotation spot, he'll be going up against J.T. Ginn, Gunnar Hoglund, Mason Barnett and potentially Luis Medina.
Medina missed the entire 2025 campaign after recovering from Tommy John surgery. He's also out of options, meaning that he has to be on the A's 26-man roster, or be subjected to waivers. With Medina still building up his arm strength, he's not going to be able to take on a full starter's workload this season, so the club could look to use him in the bullpen as a long-man, at least to start.
How Medina ends up being utilized this year, and where Perkins lands between the bullpen and the rotation will have significant ripple effects on the rest of the roster's roles to begin the 2026 campaign.
Expectations for the A's in 2026
Coming off of a 76-86 campaign, the A's are being projected to finish right around the same area in 2026, with many pointing to their lack of additions to the pitching staff as the reason that they'll be right where they were a year ago.
On the other side of the coin, the A's are going to be a trendy dark horse pick to make the postseason because they have loads of young, unproven talent. Last year at this time Nick Kurtz had been impressive in a handful of minor league games, but wasn't being counted on to anchor the offense. Now he's arguably one of the best hitters in baseball.
If those young guys take big steps forward—particularly the pitchers they have on hand—then all of a sudden they're looking like a much better club.
The A's offense is projected to produce plenty after finishing as the tenth-best group a year ago. This year they're projected for No .12, right behind the Arizona Diamondbacks, though they could see guys like Muncy or Hernaiz take a step forward offensively at third, and Denzel Clarke becoming a much better bat in center, which would make this a legitimately scary lineup.
This season is going to hinge on the team's pitching staff. If they're performing like a bottom-five group like last year, it's going to be difficult to take that step forward and reach the postseason. However, if they hover around league average, this team is going to end up surprising plenty of people.
Prospects to watch
The big prospect to watch this season will be Gage Jump, who was dominant for much of the 2025 campaign, his first in pro ball. The 22-year-old lefty finished with a 3.28 ERA (2.96 FIP) and held a strikeout rate of 28.4% with a walk rate of 7.4%. He topped out at Double-A a year ago, will be starting this season in Triple-A Las Vegas, and he could be moved quickly if needed.
The other arm to watch will be Jamie Arnold, the team's No. 2 prospect and first round pick from a year ago. He has yet to make his pro debut, but he's seen as someone that could move quickly this season and potentially even have an impact in the big leagues, like Trey Yesavage last season with the Blue Jays.
The other arms that will be worth keeping an eye on are Braden Nett and Henry Baez, who were both acquired in the MIller deal. The A's also have Kade Morris, acquired in the Paul Blackburn trade, and who has more upper minors experience.
The final prospect to keep an eye on is the guy at the top, Leo De Vries. He was the centerpiece of the Miller trade, and showed why over the final two months of the season. As an 18-year-old in Double-A (a very rare feat), he hit .281 with a .359 OBP and five home runs in 21 games.
The A's have shown that they'll move their guys quickly when they're performing, so if he starts the season in Triple-A, he could be actively knocking on the door to Sacramento early in 2026. If that happens, the A's offense could take another step forward, too.
There is plenty of excitement surrounding the 2026 Athletics, and this season could end with some postseason games being played in Sacramento.
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Jason has been covering the A’s at various sites for over a decade, and was the original host of the Locked on A’s podcast. He also covers the Stanford Cardinal as they attempt to rebuild numerous programs to prominence.
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