Cubs, MLB announce 2023 regular season schedule

Two summers ago, the Cubs and Cardinals were supposed to meet in London, England, in mid-June.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic happened and upended pretty much everything in life, including the 2020 MLB season. The 2020 MLB London Series was cancelled.

Now, in 2023, they’ve again scheduled the Cubs and Cardinals to meet in London, this time a bit later in June, as announced by MLB earlier this month. As was supposed to be the case in 2020, these will be Cardinals “home” games and so St. Louis will bat last for the pair of games in the UK.

As for the rest of next season, things will be a bit different. As I wrote this past April, MLB has adjusted the schedule to have fewer divisional games so that teams can play all 29 other teams every year. For teams in the other league, they’ll travel to each city every other year.

While this sounds great on its face, the fact that we still have 15-team leagues means interleague play has to happen at all times. Thus, we’re going to see more one-off series scheduled in many cities in April, risking postponements that will be difficult to make up, including having the Rangers and Mariners in Wrigley in early April — not smart! In 2022, 14 different teams visited Wrigley Field. Starting in 2023, that’ll be 18 different teams. I think you can see the potential issues.

Personally, I’d rather see more Cubs/Cardinals games than a random Cubs/Rangers or Cubs/Mariners series, but maybe that’s just me. We’ll see how it works out.

Here’s the complete tentative 2023 Cubs schedule, which will begin Thursday, March 30. When game times are available, I’ll add them (all times Central). Home games in boldface.

March 30, April 1-2: vs. Brewers (1:20, 1:20, 1:20)
April 3-4-5: at Reds (5:40, 5:40, 11:35 a.m.)
April 7-8-9: vs. Rangers (1:20, 3:05, 1:20)
April 10-11-12: vs. Mariners (6:40, 6:40, 1:20)
April 14-15-16: at Dodgers (9:10, 8:10, 3:10)
April 17-18-19: at Athletics (8:40, 8:40, 2:37)
April 20-21-22-23: vs. Dodgers (6:40, 1:20, 1:20, 1:20)
April 25-26-27: vs. Padres (6:40, 6:40, 1:20)
April 28-29-30: at Marlins (5:40, 3:05, 11:05 a.m.)
May 1-2-3-4: at Nationals (6:05, 6:05, 6:05, 12:05)
May 5-6-7: vs. Marlins (1:20, 1:20, 1:20)
May 8-9-10: vs. Cardinals (6:40, 6:40, 6:40)
May 12-13-14: at Twins (7:10, 1:10, 1:10)
May 15-16-17: at Astros (7:10, 7:10, 7:10)
May 19-20-21: at Phillies (6:05, 3:05, 12:35)
May 23-24-25: vs. Mets (6:40, 6:40, 6:40)
May 26-27-28: vs. Reds (1:20, 6:15, 1:20)
May 29-30-31: vs. Rays (1:20, 7:05, 1:20)
June 2-3-4-5: at Padres (8:40, 9:10, 3:10, 8:40)
June 6-7-8: at Angels (8:38, 8:38, 8:38)
June 9-10-11: at Giants (9:15, 6:35, 3:05)
June 13-14-15: vs. Pirates (7:05, 7:05, 7:05)
June 16-17-18: vs. Orioles (1:20, 1:20, 12:05)
June 19-20-21: at Pirates (6:05, 6:05, 11:35 a.m.)
June 24-25: vs. Cardinals in London, England (12:10, 9:10 a.m.)
June 27-28-29: vs. Phillies (7:05, 7:05, 7:05)
June 30, July 1-2: vs. Guardians (1:20, 6:15, 1:20)
July 3-4-5-6: at Brewers (1:10, 3:10, 7:10, 1:10)
July 7-8-9: at Yankees (6:05, 12:05, 12:35)
July 10-11-12-13: All-Star break
July 14-15-16: vs. Red Sox (7:05, 1:20, 1:20)
July 17-18-19: vs. Nationals (7:05, 7:05, 7:05)
July 20-21-22-23: vs. Cardinals (7:05, 1:20, 1:20, 1:20)
July 25-26: at White Sox (7:10, 7:10)
July 27-28-29-30: at Cardinals (6:45, 7:15, 6:15, 1:15)
July 31, August 1-2-3: vs. Reds (7:05, 7:05, 7:05, 7:05)
August 4-5-6: vs. Braves (1:20, 1:20, 1:20)
August 7-8-9: at Mets (6:10, 6:10, 6:10)
August 11-12-13: at Blue Jays (6:07, 2:07, 12:37)
August 15-16: vs. White Sox (7:05, 7:05)
August 18-19-20: vs. Royals (1:20, 1:20, 1:20)
August 21-22-23: at Tigers (6:10, 6:10, 12:10)
August 24-25-26-27: at Pirates (6:05, 6:05, 6:15, 12:35)
August 28-29-30: vs. Brewers (7:05, 7:05, 1:20)
September 1-2-3: at Reds (5:40, 5:40, 11:10 a.m.)
September 4-5-6: vs. Giants (1:20, 6:40, 1:20)
September 7-8-9-10: vs. Diamondbacks (6:40, 1:20, 1:20, 1:20)
September 11-12-13: at Rockies (7:40, 7:40, 2:10)
September 15-16-17: at Diamondbacks (8:40, 7:10, 3:10)
September 19-20-21: vs. Pirates (6:40, 6:40, 6:40)
September 22-23-24: vs. Rockies (1:20, 1:20, 1:20)
September 26-27-28: at Braves (6:20, 6:20, 6:20)
September 29-30, October 1: at Brewers (7:10, 6:10, 2:10)

For those of you who prefer a calendar form: