Nationals announce 29-game spring training schedule

The Washington Nationals released their 29-game 2016 Spring Training schedule on Thursday, featuring 14 home games at Space Coast Stadium in Viera, FL. The home Grapefruit League slate will open on Thursday, March 3 vs. the New York Mets. The Nationals will get their share of competition against 2015 playoff teams, facing the Mets, St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros numerous times throughout the spring. The home Grapefruit League schedule includes three visits from the division rival Mets (Thurs., March 3, Fri., March 11 and Sat., March 19) as well as a pair of visits from the Cardinals (Sun., March 13 and Thurs., March 24). The Astros will visit Viera three times (Thurs., March 10, Mon., March 14 and Mon., March 21). The New York Yankees will also make their annual trip across the state to Space Coast Stadium on Weds., March 23. Nationals fans planning to visit Viera should note Washington will host four games at Space Coast Stadium in five days, Thursday, March 10 through Monday, March 14. The Nationals lone day of "split-squad" action will take place on Sunday, March 27 (vs. ATL, at NYM). The Nationals will kick off the 2016 Grapefruit League season with a trip across the state of Florida to Port Charlotte to take on the Tampa Bay Rays. It will be the Nationals' first Spring Training game at the Tampa Bay Rays' facility in Port Charlotte in team history (2005-present). The Nationals and Rays played a home-and-home series in 2005, with the Rays visiting Viera and the Nationals traveling to Tropicana Field for an exhibition game the following day. Spring Training season packages, which include all 14 home games, will be available beginning on November 30 at 10:00 a.m. online at nationals.com/spring. Beginning January 11, three- and six-game Flex Plans will be available exclusively at nationals.com/spring. Individual-game tickets for all Nationals spring contests at Space Coast Stadium will be available beginning January 30 at 10:00 a.m. at the Space Coast Stadium Box Office, by visiting nationals.com/spring or by calling 888.632.NATS(6287). Here is the schedule: * March 2 - at Rays in Port Charlotte * March 3 - vs. Mets * March 4 - at Marlins in Jupiter * March 5 - vs. Tigers * March 6 - at Cardinals in Jupiter * March 7 - vs. Marlins * March 8 - at Astros in Kissimmee * March 9 - at Tigers in Lakeland * March 10 - vs. Astros * March 11 - vs. Mets * March 12 - at Braves in Lake Buena Vista * March 13 - vs. Cardinals * March 14 - vs. Astros * March 15 - at Astros in Kissimmee * March 16 - at Marlins in Jupiter * March 17 - vs. Braves * March 18 - at Mets in Port St. Lucie * March 19 - vs. Mets * March 20 - at Tigers in Lakeland * March 21 - vs. Astros * March 22 - Off-day * March 23 - vs. Yankees * March 24 - vs. Cardinals * March 25 - at Marlins in Jupiter * March 26 - at Cardinals in Jupiter * March 27 - vs. Braves; at Mets in Port St. Lucie * March 28 - vs. Marlins * March 29 - vs. Cardinals in Jupiter * March 30 - vs. Mets in Port St. Lucie * March 31 - Off-day