Arizona’s Cactus League Brings Baseball Fans Together Every Spring

Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks, because Major League Baseball’s Spring Training is back in Arizona. According to MLB.com, the fun starts this week with a handful of games known as the Cactus League, a nod to the teams that start the pre-season in Arizona.

Spring Training In The Arizona Sun

There’s nothing quite like spring training season in Arizona. While winter lingers in cities like Chicago, fans and teams flock west every year to soak up the sun and start training for the new season.

SpringTrainingOnline.com notes the Cactus League tradition dates to 1947, when the New York Giants and Cleveland Indians first trained in Arizona.

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Tucson’s Baseball Beginnings

The first time I attended a Cactus League spring training game, I took my baseball-loving daughter and a friend to Tucson to see the Cubs play. The Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks have always been our favorites, so watching the game up close was truly memorable.

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After that trip, I learned that while spring training games are now held in Phoenix, Tucson once played a major role in Arizona’s spring training story.

The Cleveland Indians, now the Guardians, began training in Arizona in 1947 and helped establish the early roots of the Cactus League. Over the years, Tucson hosted teams like the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies, who were the last MLB clubs to train there before moving to Phoenix.

Though Tucson’s facilities were cherished, as the league expanded, teams began looking for a more central location with modern amenities.

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Why Spring Training Moved To Phoenix

As the years passed, the shift from Tucson to the Phoenix metro area happened gradually, with the final teams relocating in the late 2000s and early 2010s.

Today, the Phoenix metro area is home to 15 MLB teams playing in 10 stadiums, all located close together, making it convenient for teams as they prepare for the regular season.

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MLB Teams Who Train In Phoenix Today

Cactus League games are still fun to watch. The teams are still developing, the weather is nice, and a day at the ballpark, munching on hot dogs and soda, is a day filled with gentle nostalgia.

You can see the Diamondbacks, Cubs, Dodgers, Angels, Royals, Mariners, Rangers, Brewers, Padres, Giants, Athletics, Rockies, Guardians, Reds, and White Sox in action. These low-pressure games offer fun for every fan, and since they’re preseason, the crowds are usually smaller than during the regular season.

How to Catch a Spring Training Game in Arizona

Check out the Cactus League Schedule and plan your own trip to Phoenix for a classic baseball experience before the regular season and the heat arrives.