How to watch MLB's Spring Training games, beginning with Cubs-Dodgers on Thursday

Were not quite there, but this is our first official step toward being So Back.

Spring training baseball begins on Thursday, with the Arizona-based Cactus League and Floridas Grapefruit League hosting a few weeks of MLB warmups.

It was a dizzying winter Juan Soto is a Met, Corbin Burnes is a Diamondback and Blake Snell is a Dodger.

Heres our leisurely ramp-up to the 2025 season.

Check out the national TV Spring Training slate for the week ahead.

Select games will be broadcast locally on regional sports networks.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto is set to start for Los Angeles.

The Japanese right-hander will also face this Chicago lineup on Opening Day (March 18) at the Tokyo Dome.

Shohei Ohtani is not expected to play in Thursdays exhibition.

For what its worth, Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernandez were both on the field for 2024s spring opener.

Advertisement The Cubs are reportedly adding former Dodgers World Series champion Justin Turner.

They were pursuing Alex Bregman, who ultimately chose to sign with the Red Sox .

The Athletic s offseason grades Cubs (B) Chicago made its most aggressive move in years by picking up Kyle Tucker from the Astros probably the second-best player to change teams this winter.

Plugging a healthy Tucker into Cody Bellingers old spot in the lineup is an upgrade that should push the Cubs beyond the 83-win plateau and toward the top of the NL Central.

Another trade with Houston for Ryan Pressly helps the back end of the bullpen.

Dodgers (A) For the second year in a row, the Dodgers won the offseason.

They didnt sign this winters biggest prize (Juan Soto went to the Mets), but they did spend aggressively in free agency, building a rotation that can go seven starters deep even before Clayton Kershaws presumptive return and a bullpen that has five experienced closers.

And did we mention they still have Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and reigning MVP Shohei Ohtani? Our key additions list is just scratching the surface of the Dodgers offseason.

It says nothing of re-signing Teoscar Hernandez, Kike Hernandez and Blake Treinen, and it has no room for new second baseman Hyeseong Kim, new left fielder Michael Conforto and new reliever Kirby Yates.

It also fails to mention the contract extension for play-anywhere Tommy Edman, and the expected return to health of Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin.

In the best shape of our lives, ranking the best MLB spring training cliches The robo ump could cause a unexpected casualty: the TV strike zone box Cubs tab Shota Imanaga for Opening Day start in Tokyo Series against Dodgers (Photo credit: Ralph Freso / Getty Images).

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