GLENDALE, Ariz. -- For the first time this year, Lucas Giolito and Yasmani Grandal will be working together in a White Sox Cactus League contest.

The team’s projected Opening Day battery will be paired Friday in a 2:05 p.m. CT game (available on MLB.TV) at Sloan Park in Mesa, the first of two Arizona matchups between the Cubs and White Sox.

Giolito was a certainty after being slowed at the start of camp by a chest muscle strain just above his right rib cage, and manager Rick Renteria mentioned Grandal getting action against the Cubs on Wednesday after Grandal caught three innings of a "B" game against the Reds.

That hope for Renteria became a confirmation on Thursday when Grandal’s mild left calf strain responded well after the actions Wednesday. Renteria was able to talk with his catcher around the cage during morning batting practice at Camelback Ranch.

“It was his first game, so he’s feeling a little of the game wind you get, which was why it was important to have a conversation today to see how he was feeling,” Renteria said Thursday. “I said, ‘Are you feeling jelly legs?’ And he said, ‘No, I actually feel pretty good.’ So, that’s a good sign.”

Said Grandal: “Now you just have to get our feet underneath you. From there on, it’s just playing. There’s not much you can do about it. Get the playing time in without stressing it. I’m in a good spot right now, so as long as we keep building off it, we should be fine.”

• Moncada contract extension in place (source)

Grandal will play at least three innings Friday, which probably is the maximum distance for Giolito against the Cubs. Although James McCann caught every one of Giolito’s starts in 2019, earning great praise from the All-Star hurler almost every time out, a healthy Grandal figures to be behind the plate for quite a few Giolito mound trips in ‘20.

That combination is based on Grandal staying healthy, which is one of the reasons his return to Spring Training action was a gradual one.

“My main concern was that the doc said if it happens again, especially this early, it can be eight weeks,” Grandal said. “Him saying that kind of stays in the back of your head.

“Usually, to an injury, you might be able to push a little harder, you just take back a little bit and trust in the process. So far so good, and hopefully we won’t have to be talking about this for much longer.”

During the "B" game Wednesday, Grandal doubled, struck out and felt as if he could have caught more than the three innings. He looked smooth moving around the bases for the double, although Grandal didn’t exactly back that assessment.

“I didn’t think it was smooth at all. I couldn’t feel my legs,” Grandal said. “But I guess it’s a good thing, right? We just need to get our legs underneath us now.

“I wasn’t trying to run hard. There was no trying. I have one speed, pretty much. I was trying to feel my legs get underneath me, but they were way behind me.

“So, yeah, I was trying to get to second, which I didn’t think I was going to do. And thank God the right fielder bobbled it like five times and I was able to make it. It’s kind of weird to run right now. We’ve been running but not specifically on the bases. So, I’m going to take it a little bit [slow]. But as soon as we get our legs underneath us, we’re good from there.”

Madrigal turns 23
Second baseman Nick Madrigal celebrated his 23rd birthday Thursday. He finished 0-for-2 with a run scored and was hit by a pitch as the White Sox claimed a 7-6 victory over the Rockies.

The White Sox improved to 4-1-1 against National League teams in Cactus League action. They are 3-4 against the American League.