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When the Cubs’ spring-training schedule was released Monday, there were three empty dates between the end of the Cactus League season and the regular-season opener against the Marlins in Miami.
Those dates aren’t open anymore:
Cubs vs. Red Sox at Jet Blue Park in Fort Myers, FL:
— Mark Gonzales (@MDGonzales) November 21, 2017
Monday, March 26, 6:05 PM ET
Tues, March 27, 1:05 PM ET
This is a perfect place for these teams to play, as the Cubs can simply bus over from Ft. Myers to Miami after the Tuesday game (it’d be silly to fly, as it’s only about a two and a half hour bus ride), then have Wednesday off before the season opener Thursday, March 29 at Marlins Park, which we now know will happen at 11:30 a.m. CT.
In recent years the Cubs have played games at major-league stadiums in between Cactus League and regular-season play, including contests at Chase Field in Phoenix, Globe Life Park in Texas, and Minute Maid Park in Houston. This will be a departure, with Jet Blue Park being the Red Sox’ spring-training home.
In case you are interested, here’s where all the other teams will be spending that interregnum between spring training and the regular season:
Rays/Tigers: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg
Cardinals/Blue Jays: Olympic Stadium, Montreal
Diamondbacks/Indians: Chase Field, Phoenix
Reds/Rangers: Globe Life Park, Arlington
Brewers/Astros: Minute Maid Park, Houston
Rockies/Mariners: Talking Stick, Scottsdale
Athletics/Giants: “Bay Bridge Series,” San Francisco/Oakland
Dodgers/Angels: “Freeway Series,” Los Angeles/Anaheim
Twins/Nationals: Nationals Park, Washington
Phillies/Pirates: Home/home, Philadelphia/Pittsburgh
Yankees/Braves: SunTrust Park, Atlanta
Royals: vs. their Triple-A team at Omaha
White Sox: vs. their Triple-A team at Charlotte
Padres: vs. their Triple-A team at El Paso
The Marlins, Mets and Orioles do not yet have games scheduled for those dates.