It's been a while since Major League Baseball dropped next year's schedule so late in the year, but for the first time since their ostensible attempt at contending in 2023, the White Sox's on-field product is watchable enough that I'm not inclined to hit "simulate to end" on the current edition.
Nevertheless, the 2026 White Sox schedule is now live and listed above -- certainly the biggest news that anybody made today at noon -- and the headline is that the White Sox will open a season against a National League opponent for the first time in franchise history.
The fact that it's against the Milwaukee Brewers will make it less alien a concept. The Sox have opened many a season in Milwaukee, most recently in 1995, although the less said about that one, the better. The White Sox opened the strike-delayed schedule with a 12-3 loss to the Brewers, which was the start of a dreadful 10-game losing streak that killed the season as soon as it began. Perhaps the White Sox will catch the Brewers at the start of their World Series hangover this time around.
Last year's White Sox schedule had the promise of anniversaries, be it the 20th celebration of the 2005 World Series title or the commemoration of 125 years of existence. This year has no such easy ties, so the White Sox went back to the Vatican well to drum up excitement for this year's release:
At first glance, here are my most noteworthy takeaways:
Climate control: The first two home series of the season are the only ones the White Sox will play in cities that face a persistent threat of freezeouts over the first four weeks of the season. Kansas City occasionally faces the perils of the Midwest in April, but otherwise it's roofs, warm weather or both, so any rough starts will be hard to pin on the temperature.
No long road trips: There are no three-city trips on the White Sox schedule this year. There is one three-series homestand in May.
National League series: After the start in Milwaukee and Miami -- the Twin Cities, as they're known -- the White Sox will also visit Arizona (April 21-23), San Diego (May 1-3), San Francisco (May 22-24), Philadelphia (June 5-7) and St. Louis (Sept. 11-13). That doesn't count the ...
Crosstown series: ...which is six games. The White Sox host the Cubs on the weekend of May 15-17, but the series at Wrigley will be a Monday-Wednesday set, Aug. 17-19.
It gets late early: All of the White Sox's West Coast jaunts will be over the first six weeks: Sacramento and Phoenix in April, San Diego and Anaheim to open May, and then Seattle and San Francisco two weeks later.
A Rockie finish: For the sake of both fan bases, let’s hope that the season-ending series against Colorado doesn't involve a discussion about worst records ever.
