BALTIMORE — The White Sox’ 2023 regular-season schedule was released Wednesday, and there never has been anything like it.
For the first time, each major-league team will play every other team, the result of a format switch agreed to in the lockout settlement in March. That means the number of games against each division rival will be reduced from 19 to 13.
The Sox will open the season March 30 at the Astros and close with a series Sept. 29-Oct. 1 against the Padres at Guaranteed Rate Field. Their home opener is April 3 against the Giants.
They will play two two-game series against the Cubs: July 25-26 at Guaranteed Rate Field (Tuesday and Wednesday) and Aug. 15-16 at Wrigley Field (Tuesday and Wednesday).
Here is the schedule for next season:
The Sox’ schedule for next season will feature 52 games against the American League Central rival Guardians, Tigers, Royals and Twins; 31 games against AL East opponents, with six or seven apiece against the Rays, Orioles, Red Sox, Yankees and Blue Jays; and 33 games against AL West teams, with six or seven apiece against the Astros, Angels, Athletics, Mariners and Rangers.
The Sox have 46 interleague games.
Eloy likely to start Thursday
After getting hit on the left-elbow pad with a 102 mph fastball from the Orioles’ Felix Bautista in the eighth inning Tuesday, Eloy Jimenez was out of the lineup Wednesday. But the swelling had gone down, and manager Tony La Russa said Jimenez stood a good chance of starting at designated hitter in the series finale Thursday.
It was the hardest-thrown ball to hit a batter in the majors this season.
‘‘He’s somewhat restricted, just not going to push it,’’ La Russa said. ‘‘But a good chance to play [Thursday]. A 100 mph fastball, [it] could have been a lot worse. So I think we’re lucky.’’
Jimenez is batting .375/.450/.567 with five home runs since the All-Star break.
Grandal looking good
Catcher Yasmani Grandal is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list Wednesday and should be ready to do so, even though he was on crutches after he hyperextended his knee while trying to avoid a tag at home plate Saturday in Cleveland.
Grandal is taking close to full workouts, and he hit several balls over the wall in batting practice at Camden Yards.
‘‘Probably the best thing to happen was that my ankle rolled over as my knee hyperextended,’’ Grandal said. ‘‘That pretty much took all the pressure [off], gave the knee some capability to keep moving. If my foot would have gotten stuck there, [we] would have probably been talking about a 12-month recovery all the way back to ACL surgery. Yeah, definitely dodged a bullet.’’
Perez waits
In Grandal’s absence, La Russa is relying heavily on catcher Seby Zavala because of his familiarity with the pitching staff.
Rookie Carlos Perez, who was called up from Triple-A Charlotte when Grandal got hurt, seems in line for his first start Saturday, when Davis Martin is expected to be recalled from Charlotte to fill injured Michael Kopech’s place in the rotation.
‘‘Makes the most sense because he knows him,’’ La Russa said.
