Cubs open spring-training schedule with 5 of first 7 at home in Mesa

The Cubs waste no time getting back on the field for games in 2018, with their earliest spring training opener since 2012 scheduled for Feb. 23 against the Brewers at Maryvale, Ariz.

They return to Mesa, Ariz., for their spring home opener the next day, against the Rangers, when they open a stretch of five home dates in six days.

The 34-game schedule includes three against Rick Renteria’s and Eloy Jimenez’s rebuilding White Sox, on Feb. 27 and March 10 at Sloan Park, then March 16 on the road in Glendale, Ariz.

The schedule includes seven night games, four in the final week of the spring.

And the Cubs’ annual Las Vegas weekend trip returns to its mid-March spot on the schedule, March 17-18, against Cleveland.

The Cubs say they expect to announce an additional exhibition stop between their March 25 spring finale and their March 29 season opener in Miami.

The schedule (all games 1:05 p.m. local time unless noted):

• DATE/OPPONENT/SITE
• Friday, February 23: at Milwaukee Brewers, Maryvale
• Saturday, February 24: vs. Texas Rangers, Sloan Park
• Sunday, February 25: vs. San Francisco Giants, Scottsdale
• Monday, February 26: vs. Seattle Mariners, Sloan Park
• Tuesday, February 27: vs. Chicago White Sox, Sloan Park
• Wednesday, February 28: vs. Oakland Athletics, Sloan Park
• Thursday, March 1: vs. Colorado Rockies,Sloan Park
• Friday, March 2 : vs. Los Angeles Angels (1:10 p.m.), Tempe
• Saturday, March 3: vs. Cincinnati Reds, Sloan Park
• Sunday, March 4: at Arizona Diamondbacks (1:10 p.m.), Scottsdale
• Monday, March 5: at Colorado Rockies (1:10 p.m.), Scottsdale
• Tuesday, March 6: vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, Sloan Park
• Wednesday, March 7: at Cleveland Indians (6:05 p.m.), Goodyear
• Thursday, March 8: vs. San Diego Padres, Sloan Park
• Friday, March 9: vs. Los Angeles Angels, Sloan Park
• Saturday, March 10: vs. Chicago White Sox (ss), Sloan Park and at Los Angeles Dodgers (ss, 7:05 p.m.), Glendale
• Sunday, March 11: at Oakland Athletics, Mesa
• Monday, March 12: OFF DAY
• Tuesday, March 13: at San Diego Padres (ss, 1:10 PM), Peoria and vs. San Francisco Giants (ss, 7:05 PM), Sloan Park
• Wednesday, March 14: at Kansas City Royals, Surprise
• Thursday, March 15: vs. Arizona Diamondbacks, Sloan Park
• Friday, March 16: at Chicago White Sox, Glendale
• Saturday, March 17: vs. Cleveland Indians (ss), Sloan Park and at Cleveland Indians (ss, 4:05 p.m. Vegas Time), Las Vegas
• Sunday, March 18: vs. Kansas City Royals (ss), Sloan Park and at Cleveland Indians (ss, 1:05 PM Vegas Time), Las Vegas
• Monday, March 19: at Cincinnati Reds (6:05 p.m.), Goodyear
• Tuesday, March 20: OFF DAY
• Wednesday, March 21: at Texas Rangers, Surprise
• Thursday, March 22: vs. San Francisco Giants (7:05 p.m.), Scottsdale
• Friday, March 23: vs. Milwaukee Brewers, Sloan Park
• Saturday, March 24: Colorado Rockies (ss, 7:05 p.m.), Sloan Park and at Seattle Mariners (ss, 6:40 p.m.), Peoria
• Sunday, March 25: Kansas City Royals (12:05 p.m.), Surprise

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