{"id":626051,"date":"2026-03-16T06:03:13","date_gmt":"2026-03-16T06:03:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/626051\/"},"modified":"2026-03-16T06:03:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T06:03:13","slug":"arizona-diamondbacks-adjust-spring-training-schedule-amid-record-breaking-phoenix-heat-wave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/626051\/","title":{"rendered":"Arizona Diamondbacks Adjust Spring Training Schedule Amid Record-Breaking Phoenix Heat Wave"},"content":{"rendered":"

AVANDATIMES.COM \u2013 The Arizona Diamondbacks<\/a> have joined a growing list of Cactus League<\/a> franchises forced to overhaul their spring training operations as an unprecedented heat wave grips the Phoenix<\/a> metropolitan area. With temperatures already climbing into the low 90s and forecasts predicting peaks of 105 degrees, the club is prioritizing player safety while maintaining their preparation for the 2026 season.<\/p>\n

Rescheduling and Operational Shifts<\/p>\n

The extreme weather has already impacted at least eight Cactus League matchups across the valley. AvandaTimes observed that the Diamondbacks recently moved their scheduled game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday, March 20, from a 1:10 p.m. start to 6:10 p.m. to avoid the most intense afternoon sun. This shift reflects a broader trend as teams grapple with temperatures shattering historical records; previously, the earliest date for a 100-degree day in the region was March 26.<\/p>\n

Manager Torey Lovullo<\/a> indicated that while the team is prepared to face the elements, management is actively seeking ways to mitigate exposure. \u201cI think management\u2019s doing a really nice job of maybe trying to get us out of the heat,\u201d Lovullo stated. \u201cWhat we might do is change our morning routine and get them off the field, have them in and out of cages, on and off the field as fast as possible. And then just conserve and make sure everything\u2019s ready for the game and push towards that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Strategic Player Management<\/p>\n

Beyond shifting game times, the Diamondbacks are implementing specific tactical adjustments to protect their roster. Lovullo has requested three additional catchers from the player development department to rotate through high-temperature days. This move is designed to limit the physical toll on starting backstops and pitchers alike during the peak of the heat wave.<\/p>\n

According to Lovullo, the workload for key players will be strictly monitored to prevent exhaustion. \u201cOur starting catchers might catch only four innings, catch a starter and get out,\u201d he explained. \u201cI don\u2019t know what it\u2019s gonna look like. We\u2019ll get them in and out of the lab, get them in and out of wherever they gotta get to, on and off the field to make sure they\u2019re ready for the game. We\u2019ll figure out what that schedule is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adapting to the Desert Climate<\/p>\n

While the Diamondbacks are accustomed to the Arizona heat at their regular-season home, Chase Field, spring training venues lack the protection of a retractable roof or climate-controlled environments. Despite the challenges, the team remains committed to their training regimen regardless of the thermometer readings.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut if we have to play day games, we\u2019re gonna do it. We\u2019re gonna go out there and play in the heat like everybody else will. \u2026 we train in a place where there\u2019s the potential for this, so we all know that we gotta deal with it,\u201d Lovullo added. He concluded by emphasizing the team\u2019s resilience: \u201cWe\u2019ll find a way to deal with whatever the circumstances are,\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"AVANDATIMES.COM \u2013 The Arizona Diamondbacks have joined a growing list of Cactus League franchises forced to overhaul their…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":609660,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2404],"tags":[146,22,4314,5,5250,38,19,4,645,638],"class_list":["post-626051","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arizona-diamondbacks","tag-arizona","tag-arizona-diamondbacks","tag-arizonadiamondbacks","tag-baseball","tag-cactus-league","tag-diamondbacks","tag-major-league-baseball","tag-mlb","tag-phoenix","tag-torey-lovullo"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@mlb\/116237343451759387","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/626051","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=626051"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/626051\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/609660"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=626051"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=626051"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=626051"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}