While the schedule for the Grapefruit League in Florida underwent major changes Friday, with the 15 teams that train there being placed into five-team groups to limit travel, the Chicago White Sox made only minor alterations to their schedule in Arizona’s Cactus League, scheduled to open at the end of the month.
The biggest change to the spring schedule involved the opener. The White Sox will open Cactus League play on Feb. 28 at their spring home, Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona, against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Los Angeles Dodgers also play their home games at Camelback Ranch.
Split-squad games, an annual staple early in the spring training schedule, have been eliminated for this year as part of ongoing COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
Pitchers and catchers are due to report Wednesday, with the position players scheduled to arrive by Feb. 21. Full squad workouts will begin Feb. 22.
In addition to the players on the 40-man roster, 21 non-roster players have been invited to the major league camp. Seven of the 21 are from within the organization, including No. 1-ranked prospect Andrew Vaughn, with 14 other players signed to minor-league deals that included the camp invitation, notably former All-Star catcher Jonathan Lucroy.
Here is the White Sox schedule for the Cactus League. For fans looking to get a break from winter, tickets go on sale March 20:
- Feb. 28 vs. Milwaukee Brewers (Camelback Ranch)
- March 1 at Los Angeles Angels (Tempe Diablo Stadium, Tempe)
- March 2 vs. Texas Rangers (Camelback Ranch)
- March 3 at Kansas City Royals (Surprise Stadium, Surprise)
- March 4 at San Francisco Giants (Scottsdale Stadium, Scottsdale)
- March 5 vs. Seattle Mariners (Camelback Ranch)
- March 6 at Cleveland Indians (Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear)
- March 7 vs. Colorado Rockies (Camelback Ranch)
- March 8 at Los Angeles Dodgers (Camelback Ranch)
- March 9 vs. San Diego Padres (Camelback Ranch)
- March 11 at Cincinnati Reds (Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear)
- March 12 at Texas Rangers (Surprise Stadium, Surprise)
- March 13 vs. Los Angeles Angels (Camelback Ranch)
- March 14 at Oakland Athletics (Hohokam Stadium, Mesa)
- March 15 vs. Chicago Cubs (Camelback Ranch)
- March 16 at San Diego Padres (Peoria Sports Complex, Peoria)
- March 17 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (Camelback Ranch)
- March 18 vs. Kansas City Royals (Surprise Stadium, Surprise)
- March 19 at Seattle Mariners (Peoria Sports Complex, Peoria)
- March 20 vs. Cleveland Indians (Camelback Ranch)
- March 21 at Arizona Diamondbacks (Salt River Fields, Scottsdale)
- March 22 vs. San Francisco Giants (Camelback Ranch)
- March 23 at Chicago Cubs (Sloan Park, Mesa)
- March 24 vs. Oakland Athletics (Camelback Ranch)
- March 25 vs. Cincinnati Reds (Camelback Ranch)
- March 26 at Milwaukee Brewers (American Family Fields, Phoenix)
- March 27 at Colorado Rockies (Salt River Fields, Scottsdale)
- March 28 vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (Camelback Ranch)
The White Sox have held spring training in Glendale since 2009 and have been exclusively in Arizona since 1998 (they trained in Tucson from 1998-2008). The White Sox conducted their camp in Sarasota, Fla., for 38 years, from 1960-97.
In their 120-year history, some of the more interesting locales for White Sox spring training have included New Orleans, Mexico City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas and Tampa. Due to travel restrictions during World War II, the team held spring training in 1943 and 1944 at French Lick, Ind., hometown of basketball legend Larry Bird. In 1945, they were at Terre Haute, Ind.
The White Sox will open the regular season out west, opening a four-game series against the Angels in Anaheim, California, April 1 before heading up the coast for a three-game set April 5-7 with the Mariners.
Chicago’s home opener is scheduled for 3:10 p.m. on April 8 as they open a three-game series against the Royals, with a games scheduled for Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. The seven-game home stand continues with a four-game set against Cleveland scheduled April 12-15.
The White Sox will make their first interleague foray May 4-5 at Cincinnati. Both of their annual series against the Cubs will be in August — at Wrigley Field Aug. 6-8 and again Aug. 27-29 at Guaranteed Rate Field.