The Cubs plan to be a much improved team next year.
But they'll find themselves out of their league more than ever — and out of the country a lot more than usual.
That's because the 2023 schedule released Wednesday includes, as previously reported, games against all teams in both leagues across all of baseball. In the Cubs' case, that means returns to Yankee Stadium July 7-9 and Toronto Aug. 11-13 and home series against American League opponents Texas, Seattle, Tampa Bay, Baltimore, Cleveland, Boston Kansas City and the White Sox.
The annual crosstown series against the White Sox starts with two midweek games on the South Side July 25-26 and two more midweek games at Wrigley Field Aug. 15-16.
For the fourth consecutive season — and third out of four against the Brewers — the Cubs open at home, this time March 30 with a three-game series against Milwaukee before heading out of town for a quick three-game trip to Cincinnati, before returning for their first interleague series.
They'll have 16 of their first 24 games at home, and finish the season with 12 of their final 18 on the road, including the final six at Atlanta (Sept. 26-28) and Milwaukee (Sept. 29-Oct. 1).
That Toronto series in August will be their second out of the country next year.
MLB
As MLB announced early this month, they'll play two games against the rival Cardinals in London June 24-25, with two off days at the front end of the series and another on the back end.
It's a premier series originally scheduled for 2020 (after the inaugural London series in 2019 between the Yankees and Red Sox) but twice delayed by the pandemic.
The more full slate of interleague opponents means a return to a balanced league schedule, with 13 games each against division rivals Milwaukee and Cincinnati and 12 each against the Cardinals and Pirates (instead of 19 each against division foes).
The full schedule: