Why the 2018 White Sox schedule looks more favorable
Earlier this season, manager Rick Renteria was asked if he had ever seen a schedule like the one the Chicago White Sox had to navigate before the all-star break.
"I haven't, to be honest," he said.
Considering Renteria has been involved in professional baseball as a player, manager and coach for almost 40 years, that's saying something.
And to be honest, the Sox had the worst schedule in baseball over the first three months of the season, playing 44 of their first 71 games on the road. No major-league team spent more time away from home in the first half than the White Sox, who also had four three-city stops over the challenging stretch.
Considering they're in rebuild mode, the White Sox never blamed the MLB schedule makers for their poor showing in the standings.
Positioned to be better in 2018 and much better in 2019 and beyond, the Sox are looking at a more favorable schedule next season.
There are only two three-city road trips for the season.
The first runs June 29-July 8, with stops against Texas, Cincinnati and Houston. The second runs Sept. 10-20, with stops against Kansas City, Baltimore and Cleveland.
The Sox have only one homestand against three different teams - Aug. 30-Sept. 9 with Boston, Detroit and the Los Angeles Angels visiting Guaranteed Rate Field.
The highlight of the 2018 schedule is the return of three-game home/away series against the Cubs. The crosstown rivals played two-game sets at Guaranteed Rate and Wrigley Field in 2016-17.
The White Sox play at Wrigley May 11-13 and they host the Cubs Sept. 21-23. By the time the Cubs visit the South Side, the Sox could have top prospects such as Michael Kopech, Eloy Jimenez, Zack Collins and Alec Hansen on the major-league roster.
The White Sox open the season on the road, playing Kansas City March 29, 31 and April 1. After playing three more games at Toronto, the Sox open at home against Detroit on April 5.
As for interleague play, the White Sox draw the NL Central. In addition to the Cubs, they'll play Pittsburgh and Milwaukee at home and St. Louis and Cincinnati on the road.