Watch: Stadium operations boss discusses changes at park for White Sox summer camp

Guaranteed Rate Field won’t look the same when the White Sox get started at summer camp Friday.

Guaranteed Rate Field won’t look the same when the White Sox get started at summer camp Friday. Extensive changes in the clubhouse, dugouts and on the field have been made to accommodate a three-week training period while ensuring the health and safety of players because of the coronavirus.

This will be the first time the Sox’ home ballpark is being used as a makeshift spring training type facility.

“We needed to convert the ballpark into a spring training complex,” said Terry Savarise, senior vice president of stadium operations. “Adding mounds, batting cages, pitching tunnels, expanding dugout and training space to accommodate a large number of players. ... We also needed to create a health bubble to ensure not only the safety of the players and on field staff but for our office and training staff to pull this thing off.”

Savarise said discussions on plans and possible scenarios began when spring training was shut down in March. He said it’s all come together thanks to one large team effort from Sox staffers and workers.

“It’s a little bit of a challenge but it’s not impossible,” general manager Rick Hahn said.

Two bullpens with two mounds and plates for pitchers and catchers in each one have been installed on the warning tracks in foul territories. With two mounds in the outfield bullpens, there are places for eight pitchers to throw at once, if necessary. Two indoor hitting tunnels were also added.

When camp begins, players will be divided in morning and afternoon sessions, splitting work days to create enough space for all and separation for health reasons.

Tent structures alongside the dugouts for more space will be put up, assigned places in dugouts will be designated, hand sanitizing stations will be in place by each mound and the hitting cages and empty car spaces will separate parking spots in the lots outside the park.

“This is 40 years for me in this,” Savarise said. “Every time you go through a strike you think, ‘that was my surreal moment in my career.’ Just when you think that, something like this happens. None of us has seen this in this generation. Hopefully we won’t have to go through it again. This is a crisis that no one saw coming but all of the staff has raised their game to another level.”