The Spanish Baseball League (SBL) starts play on Saturday, with the seven scheduled games also signaling the start of the 2022 domestic European baseball season.
The two dominant Spanish clubs of the past 10 years, the defending champion Tenerife Marlins and runner-up Astros Valencia, will both be playing on their home diamonds on Opening Day, with the Marlins hosting CBS Antorcha and the Astros taking on CBS Toros Pamplona.
The two clubs have won every Spanish title going back to 2013, with the Marlins (seven championships) the more dominant of the Spanish duoploy. Last year’s championship series was a five-game back-and-forth, with the Marlins lifting the trophy in Valencia.
The SBL is the first of Europe’s domestic baseball competitions to start play, with Italy’s Serie A and the Czech Extraliga starting playing on Apr 1, the German Bundesliga starting Apr 2, and the the Dutch Hoofdklasse opening its schedule on Apr 7. France’s D1 gets play started on Apr 10.
Ten clubs are competing in the 2022 SBL, with the clubs divided into two groups. The regular season is scheduled to run until the weekend of July 16/17.
Group A
Béisbol Navarra
Miralbueno
San Inazio
Sant Boi
Tenerife Marlins
Group B
Astros Valencia
CB Viladecans
CBS Antorcha
CBS Barcelona
CBS Toros Pamplona