2016 White Sox Schedule Highlights

In just four short days, the Chicago White Sox begin the 2016 season when pitchers, and catchers report to spring training on February 19 in Glendale, Arizona. The Major League Baseball season is long, and we have spent what seems like an even longer time this offseason analyzing, predicting, and wishing our ways into a new campaign. So to help digest the six month long regular season schedule, I’m going to go over, in the order in which they are played,  the top six series’ to watch in 2016, whether in person at U.S. Cellular Field or on the T.V.

White Sox vs. Oakland Athletics  / April 4 – 7  / O.Co Coliseum Oakland, California

The Chicago White Sox, and the Oakland Athletics open their respective 2016 seasons on April 4 in Oakland, and will play a four game season in the bay area before the White Sox head home to take on the Cleveland Indians on April 8. The day that baseball fans regardless of rooting loyalty look forward to all winter long. The last time the White Sox opened the season in Oakland since 1975. The White Sox have historically played poorly in Oakland as long as i have been alive, but it will be a nice change to see a White Sox season opener with the players not donning hoods over there faces, and seeing their breath coming from their face in the frigid mid-west spring time air. Opening on the west coast may actually work to the White Sox advantage by allowing the hitters to hit in warm weather and get the offense going right out of the gates.

White Sox vs. Kansas City Royals / May 20 – 22 / U.S. Cellular Field Chicago, Illinois

The White Sox take on division rival, and the defending World Series Champion Kansas City Royals in a weekend bout in late May at U.S. Cellular Field. This series is not only a weekend series at home, a rivalry series, and a series against the defending world champions, but it is also packed with some added drama. The White Sox and Royals took part in an on-field rumble last season after tempers boiled over in a chippy game, add Brett Lawrie to the mix and you have the potential for some real fireworks when these two teams meet up. Lawrie had his share of bad blood with the Royals after being involved in some on-field extra curricular activities, and then slamming the team, and the fan base publicly through the media. Let’s just say that Lawrie is not liked in the least by the Royals, and their fans, so things could boil over. To top it off the two clubs meet again the following weekend in Kansas City for a rematch series as well.

White Sox vs. New York Mets / May 30 – June 1 / Citi Field Flushing, New York

The White Sox cap off the month of May, and open the month of June with a trip to Flushing, New York to take on the defending National League Champions in an inter-league match-up. The White Sox will be taking on the National League East teams in inter-league play in 2016, and the series with the Mets has to be the most intriguing of the bunch. Regardless of how the teams are faring at that point, Sox fans will get a look at their offense taking on some of the best young starting pitchers in all of baseball. That in itself is exciting enough for me, I thoroughly enjoyed watching that pitching staff this past year (sorry Cubs fans…) in the postseason, the only downside is that it is taking place in New York, and most Sox fans will have to settle for catching it on television.

White Sox vs. Chicago Cubs / July 25 – 28 / U.S. Cellular Field/Wrigley Field Chicago, Illinois

The 2016 installment of one of my favorite series’ of the year, the crosstown classic will take place in late July as a mid-week four game series. The two teams will of course each host two games apiece at their respective parks. While I really loathe the decision to make the crosstown series a consecutive four game series, as opposed to the classic format where two – three game sets were played about a month apart from each other, I still love the series each and every year. Regardless of the clubs records at the time of the match-up, they always bring it for the crosstown showdown, so as usual it should be a good time when the White Sox defend their BP Crosstown Cup against the Cubs this summer.

White Sox vs. Minnesota Twins / September 30 – October 2 / Target Field Minneapolis, Minnesota

In the 2016 season finale, the White Sox host the division rival Minnesota Twins in a late fall, weekend bout at U.S. Cellular Field. Again, contingent on the White Sox being in contention for a playoff spot at that point, this series would be a must see event. Quite possibly the deciding games in what we hope to be a scintillating division title race in the American League Central. While I don’t really envision the Twins being one of the horses in that race, they definitely love to play the spoiler role, especially against the White Sox. Like I mentioned before in regards to the Cleveland series, get tickets now or risk being left out for what could be a huge finish to the 2016 season on the south side if all goes well.

So whether you’re taking in the game at the park, or the television be sure not to miss these six series’ in 2016!