After months of uncertainty, it’s official: Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to start Spring Training workouts in a week.
MLB announced first workout dates on Tuesday. The first workout for Cubs pitchers and catchers in Mesa, Arizona is slotted for Feb. 17. The Cubs’ first full squad workout is on the calendar for Feb. 22. The White Sox are on the same schedule.
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Spring Training’s start date was in question until recently due to high COVID-19 infection rates in Arizona especially, and Major League Baseball’s push to delay Spring Training for a month. The MLBPA rejected the league’s proposal last week. Since then, the two parties have finalized health and safety protocols and agreed to extend seven-inning doubleheaders and last year’s extra-innings rule through 2021.
As of Monday, according to Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer, about 20 Cubs players were already in camp. Hoyer said he expects the rest will report on time.