Chicago White Sox Opening Day 2017: When And How To Watch The First Pitch

CHICAGO, IL — Given all the attention paid last year to a certain team on the North Side, the casual baseball observer might be hard pressed to remember that Chicago actually has two major league teams playing this season.

Chicago White Sox fans are accustomed to being unfairly overshadowed by their crosstown rivals, even when that team wasn't celebrating its first World Series championship in 108 years. And the South Siders might feel even more ignored during the 2017 season might as the franchise continues its rebuilding process in an American League Central Division that's stacked top to bottom with the Kansas City Royals (2015 World Series champions) and the Cleveland Indians (the 2016 World Series runners-up and popular Las Vegas picks to return — and even win — this season), as well as the always competitive Detroit Tigers and possible surprise contenders in the Minnesota Twins.

But the White Sox are taking a page out of the Cubs' playbook and developing their strong minor league talent. Even after trading pitching ace — clubhouse cut-up — Chris Sale, the team still could surprise many this year and be poised for a postseason run next season.

WATCH LIVE: White Sox Fans Kick Off 2017 Season Before Home Opener's 1st Pitch

Patch lays out everything you need to know before tuning in for the first pitch. And check with Patch on Monday for our Facebook Live coverage of Opening Day at newly named Guaranteed Rate Field on the South Side.

Chicago White Sox Opening Day 2017

Opponent: Detroit Tigers

First Pitch: 3:10 p.m. Monday, April 3

Where: Guranteed Rate Field, Chicago

TV | Radio | Streaming: CSN Chicago | 890 WLS-AM, Univision America 1200 AM (WRTO-AM) | MLB.tv

Pitching Matchup: Jose Quintana (2016: 13-12, 3.20 ERA) vs. Justin Verlander (2016: 16-9, 3.04 ERA)

White Sox Expected Starting Lineup

1. Tyler Saladino, second base
2. Tim Anderson, shortstop
3. Melky Cabrera left field
4. Jose Abreu, first base
5. Todd Frazier, third base
6. Avisail Garcia, right field
7. Cody Asche, designated hitter
8. Omar Narvaez/Geovany Soto, catcher
9. Jacob May, center field

Starting In the Clubhouse

It's a baseball cliché to say that injuries are a part of the game. But that doesn't make it any less true. While MLB managers need to juggle handle lineups and rotations when players get dinged up and wind up on the bench in the course of a season, no team wants to start out the gate in April with one of their strongest weapons sidelined.

That's the case for the White Sox going into 2017. Starting pitcher Carlos Rondon was diagnosed with bursitis, or inflammation, in his left bicep tendon in spring training, and he will begin the season on the disabled list, according to White Sox website the South Side Showdown.

The injury to Rondon, who missed starts last year because of a sprained wrist, means Chicago has questions it needs to answer as it tries to fill that hole in the back-end of its pitching rotation. Will David Holmberg or Dylan Covey — both hurlers with little to no major league experience — take this opportunity to step up? Or will All-Star pitchers Jose Quintana and James Shields need to carry more of a load at the top of the rotation?

Consider this the first managerial challenge for White Sox freshman skipper Rick Renteria.

Speaking of …

New Season, New Names

The biggest move — and a move many expected — by the White Sox during the offseason was trading lefthander Chris Sale to the Boston Red Sox. But that wasn't the only shakeup on the South Side.

Shortly after the final game of the 2016 season, Robin Ventura stepped down as manager after five seasons, and Rick Renteria was tapped to lead the team. He becomes the White Sox's 40th manager and the only Latino manager in the majors this season. Renteria, 54, also is one of two people to manage the South Siders and the North Siders; he was the Cubs manager in 2014, the season before current manager Joe Maddon was brought in.

Of course, the most jarring change for fans could literally be on the field.

The White Sox home stadium received another name change at the end of last year, now being called Guaranteed Rate Field after the Chicago-based home mortgate company bought the naming rights for 13 years. Since opening in the 1991 season, the South Side stadium kept the name Comiskey Park — the ballpark it replaced after 81 years — until 2003, when it was renamed U.S. Cellular Field, or "The Cell," in a 20-year, $68 million deal.

Belly Up to the Ballpark

For fans who view a trip to the ballpark like a trip to their favorite buffet, the newly named Guaranteed Rate Field will introduce a variety of unique gastronomical options, according to Eater Chicago:

• New items include steak, chicken and tilapia tacos, as well as a 16-inch, grilled, brisket and mac-and-cheese sandwich. Three more gut-grabbing menu additions to check out: The Wok Off, which serves up bowls of egg lo mein, mixed veggies and grilled chicken; the Triple Play BBQ Sandwich, a blend of smoked brisket, barbecue pulled pork and jalapeño cheddar sausage that's topped with sweet pickles; and The Heater, a Johnsonville jalapeno cheddar pork sausage with spicy slaw and Sriracha mayo.
• The rebranded Craft Kave features a double cheeseburger lineup with offerings like the Wild Pitch (grilled mushrooms and onions), the Clean Up Hitter (Italian sausage, sweet peppers, mozzarella and marinara sauce) and the Southside Burger (Italian beef, provolone and giardiniera).
• All that food can be washed down with one of the 100 different beers — including fare from area brewers, such as Goose Island and 3 Floyds — served throughout the park, and fans can find three-quarters of those brands at The Craft Kave.
• Finally, top off any nine-inning feast with Southside Mini Donuts doused in cinnamon and sugar or an Essenti caramel praline ice cream bar.

Feeling ultra-competitive? Check out how South Side concessions compare to their North Side counterparts this season.

Upcoming Games

• Wednesday, April 5: vs. Detroit Tigers, 1:10 p.m.
• Thursday, April 6: vs. Detroit Tigers, 1:10 p.m.

More White Sox Coverage on Patch

• Cubs/Sox Rivalry: Which Ballpark Has Better Food, Drink Options?
  
• White Sox's Jose Abreu Ate Phony Passport To Cover Up Illegal Travel To U.S.
  
• Chris Sale Changes Sox: Chicago Sends All-Star Pitcher to Boston for Prospects
  
• Chicago White Sox Will Retire Mark Buehrle's Number
  
• Mixed Emotions When Covering Chicago Championship From The Other Side
  
• White Sox Play Where? National Media Scores a Hat Trick Ignoring the South Siders
  
• White Sox Ballpark Will Be Renamed Guaranteed Rate Field in November
  
• White Sox Name Rick Renteria as New Manager

Chicago White Sox pitcher Jose Quintana. He's the team's starter for its 2017 home opener. (photo by Nam Y. Huh | Associated Press)

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