Will Ferrell ready for Cactus League

This is not a joke.

Comedian/actor Will Ferrell plans to play all nine positions during Cactus League games Thursday, USA Today first reported. There are eight games on the spring training schedule in Arizona, and Ferrell reportedly will play in five of them, flying by helicopter to each site.

It certainly seems like a funny stunt for the "Anchorman" and "Old School" star, but the reasoning reportedly is for a serious matter.

Major League Baseball and HBO are teaming up for a cancer awareness project, and the cable network will film the special at five different spring training venues Thursday. Ferrell is part of the project, according to The Chicago Tribune.

The eight games on Thursday's Cactus League schedule have staggered starting times, with the first at 3 p.m. ET and the last at 9:15 p.m. At least two games reportedly had their times moved to accommodate Ferrell's schedule.

The Chicago White Sox confirmed Ferrell will appear in their game against the San Francisco Giants in Glendale, and the San Diego Padres say he will play in their game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Peoria. The other three appearances are unknown.

More details on Ferrell's trot around spring training sites were set to be released later Wednesday.

Ferrell is no stranger to sports -- both as an actor and a fan.

He starred in "Blades of Glory" and "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby," among other sports comedies. And more recently he's showcased his love for the Seattle Seahawks and coach Pete Carroll, and pumped up U.S. soccer fans during the World Cup in Brazil.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.