Due to an impending nor’easter forecasted to bring heavy rain and wind to New England, the final game of the season-ending three-game series between the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox has been moved from Fenway Park in Boston to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. MLB announced that no game will be played on Saturday, and the series finale will now take place on Sunday at 3:05 p.m. ET.
A doubleheader was played in Boston on Friday to get ahead of the storm, with the originally scheduled Sunday game moved up to Friday afternoon (a 4-3 win for the Red Sox) and the Friday game pushed to later Friday evening. The Saturday game, initially set for a 7:15 p.m. start, has now been relocated to Florida on Sunday. Both teams will fly to Florida Friday night after completing the doubleheader. Red Sox manager Chad Tracy noted that MLB delayed the decision as long as possible while monitoring the storm’s path to determine whether playing in Boston was still feasible.
This is the first instance since 2017, outside of the COVID-19 pandemic adjustments, that MLB has had to relocate games due to weather concerns — previously when the Yankees and Rays moved games from Florida to New York because of Hurricane Irma. The move to Tropicana Field was possible since the Tampa Bay Rays are on the road finishing their season against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Both teams are already set for postseason play as wild card qualifiers. The Red Sox secured the fifth seed in the American League after winning the first game of Friday’s doubleheader, which means they will face the Yankees in the Wild Card Series. The Cubs still need additional wins or Phillies losses to guarantee the fifth seed in the National League.
Fan Take: This rare relocation underscores how unpredictable weather can still upend even the most tightly scheduled baseball moments, adding a layer of drama heading into the postseason. For fans, it highlights MLB’s flexibility and commitment to completing the season fairly, while offering a unique backdrop that could influence the outcome of these critical games.
Source: www.cbssports.com
