With Phoenix in the midst of record-high temperatures, most Cactus League teams have announced Thursday, Friday and Saturday spring gametime changes to nighttime matches.
During our early-March visit to the Cactus League, we were confronted with record temperatures, with highs reaching the lower 90s by 1:30 p.m. or so daily. (No, we didn’t think it was that bad. As Minnesotans, we were solaced by the facts that a) it was 60-some degrees colder in Minneapolis, and b) it was an imminently manageable dry heat.)
This week those 90-degree temps will be just a fond memory, as additional temperature records are being set in the Phoenix area, with highs expected in the low 100s beginning Wednesday That’s too hot for both fans and players, and as a result we’re seeing something that’s not happened in a long time: gametimes are being changed in response to the weather, with day games shifted to night games. So far these new gametimes have been announced (all times local).
We would recommend you check our Cactus League schedule page for the new times, but let’s put it another way: all Thursday games are now night games, every Friday game save the White Sox/Angels match at Tempe Diablo Stadium is now a night game, and many Saturday games are now night games, though we do expect more shifts as the impact of the heat wave is made clearer in forecasts.
In the meantime, ballparks are loosening rules about what you can bring to a game. A sealed water is allowed, but teams are now allowing sealed sports (i.e., hydrating) beverages, such as Gatorade, to be brought into the ballpark as well. Call ahead if you have concerns, but we’re pretty sure no one will turn away a fan with sealed container of water, Gatorade, or Powerade.
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