Major League Baseball announced a revised spring training schedule Friday after the league and the Players Association recently agreed on healthy and safety protocols for the upcoming season.
The Reds will open their spring slate with a game against Cleveland at 3:10 p.m. Eastern on Feb. 28 at Goodyear Ballpark. The Reds and Cleveland both have complexes in Goodyear and share the ballpark.
The Reds will play 15 night games, the most in the Cactus League, compared to 13 day games and they won’t have any split-squad games. Night games are typically rare in spring training (by comparison, Cleveland will have just two night games). Split-squad games were eliminated this year because there are limits on the number of players a team can invite to camp.
More:Cincinnati Reds announce game times for the 2021 season
For the first two weeks of spring training games, teams can agree to play five- or seven-inning games. They aren’t required to complete an inning with three outs if a pitcher has thrown at least 20 pitches in the inning.
The Reds, who will have their first full-squad workout on Feb. 22, will have two scheduled off days once they start playing games (March 6 and 22). They will conclude spring training with a home game against the Seattle Mariners on March 29. Opening Day is April 1.
Fox Sports Ohio, which will soon be rebranded as Bally Sports Ohio, has not announced its spring training TV schedule.
CINCINNATI REDS SPRING SCHEDULE
Feb. 28 – @Cleveland, 3:05 p.m.
March 1 – @Oakland, 3:05 p.m.
March 2 – Los Angeles Angels, 8:05 p.m.
March 3 – @Los Angeles Dodgers, 8:05 p.m.
March 4 – Kansas City, 8:05 p.m.
March 5 – Arizona, 8:05 p.m.
March 7 – San Francisco, 3:05 p.m.
March 8 – @Colorado, 3:10 p.m.
March 9 – Dodgers, 8:05 p.m.
March 10 – @Kansas City, 3:05 p.m.
March 11 – Chicago White Sox, 8:05 p.m.
March 12 – @Seattle, 8:40 p.m.
March 13 – Oakland, 8:05 p.m.
March 14 – San Diego, 4:05 p.m.
March 15 – @Angels, 4:10 p.m.
March 16 – Colorado, 9:05 p.m.
March 17 – Cleveland, 9:05 p.m.
March 18 – @Texas, 9:05 p.m.
March 19 – @San Francisco, 10:05 p.m.
March 20 – Milwaukee, 9:05 p.m.
March 21 – @Chicago Cubs, 4:05 p.m.
March 23 – @San Diego, 4:10 p.m.
March 24 – Texas, 9:05 p.m.
March 25 – @White Sox, 4:05 p.m.
March 26 – @Arizona, 4:10 p.m.
March 27 – Cubs, 9:05 p.m.
March 28 – @Milwaukee, 3:10 p.m.
March 29 – Seattle, 3:05 p.m.
PITCHER ADDED: The Reds signed right-handed pitcher Shane Carle to a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring training Thursday. Carle, 29, has pitched in 62 career big-league games with the Atlanta Braves and Colorado Rockies.
Carle was a key contributor in the Braves’ bullpen in 2018, posting a 2.86 ERA across 53 appearances. He struck out 43 and walked 27 in 63 innings. He spent most of the 2019 season at Triple-A, appearing in just six games for the Braves before he was designated for assignment and traded to the Texas Rangers. He didn’t pitch in the Majors for the Rangers.
More:No DH expected in National League in 2021; Cincinnati Reds sign Braden Shipley
MILB MAP REDONE: Major League Baseball, which dropped more than 40 minor league cities, completed its “modernized” minor league format Friday after clubs accepted their player development licenses.
The Louisville Bats will be in the Midwest Division of the Triple-A East league. Other teams in the division include Columbus (Cleveland affiliate), Indianapolis (Pirates), Toledo (Tigers), Iowa (Cubs), St. Paul (Twins) and Omaha (Royals).
The Chattanooga Lookouts will be in the North Division of the Double-A South league. The other three teams in the division include Birmingham (White Sox), Rocket City (Angels) and the Tennessee Smokies (Cubs), who are based near Knoxville.
The Dayton Dragons moved up a level and will be in the East Division of the High-A Central league. Other teams in the division include former Midwest League rivals Fort Wayne (Padres), Great Lakes (Dodgers), Lake County (Cleveland), Lansing (A’s) and West Michigan (Tigers).
More:2021 Cincinnati Reds questions: Who will be the closer?
The Daytona Tortugas moved down to the East Division of the Low-A Southeast league. The division includes Jupiter (Marlins), Palm Beach (Cardinals) and St. Lucie (Mets).
As a part of the changes to the minor league system, minor league players will receive a salary increase ranging from $400 per week in rookie ball (up from $290/week) to $700/week in Triple-A (up from $502/week). Minor league players are not paid during the offseason or spring training.
More:'That's who we have right now': Reds GM Nick Krall 'believes' in the team's shortstops
“In modernizing our Minor League system, we prioritized the qualities that make the Minor Leagues such an integral part of our game while strengthening how we develop professional athletes on and off the field,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement Friday.
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