The Cactus League schedule kicks off Friday when the Seattle Mariners and the San Diego Padres meet in spring training action at 1:10 p.m. MST Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, at Peoria Sports Complex.
For both clubs, the exhibition contest against their Peoria neighbors will provide an early look at roster combinations and individual progress as they ramp up toward Opening Day.
Seattle comes off a 2025 campaign highlighted by one of the American League’s top pitching staffs and steady offensive improvement late in the season. Manager Dan Wilson plans to balance workload with evaluation throughout camp, giving starters limited innings while stretching out young arms and assessing bench options. With spring serving as a proving ground, Mariners hitters will look to refine approaches and boost consistency.
San Diego, meanwhile, enters spring training seeking to build on its own late-season momentum. With a lineup featuring impact bats and a pitching staff set for deep competition, the Padres will deploy a mix of veteran leaders and up-and-coming prospects. Spring games typically limit pitch counts and rotating defensive groups, but each outing offers a chance to claim roles for the regular season.
Early spring matchups like Friday’s are also valuable for newcomers to find timing alongside established core players and for coaching staffs to gauge depth across all phases of the game.
First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. MST at the Peoria Sports Complex, where fans can catch the action as both teams begin their march toward the 2026 season.
