MLB Alters Cubs-Red Sox Series Due To Impending Storm

[Steve Drumwright]

 

With the Chicago Cubs still battling for a better seed in the NL wild-card chase and a severe storm hitting New England this weekend, MLB has altered the schedule for the three games being hosted by the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Sunday's game was moved to Friday, creating a split doubleheader on the first day of the scheduled three-game series. The first game will be played at 1:05 p.m. ET, with the second at the originally scheduled 6:05 p.m. ET. The first game will be the rescheduled game from Sunday for ticketing purposes. Saturday's game will be at 7:15 p.m. ET, although that time could be moved up depending on the forecast.

While the Red Sox have their postseason invite locked up and are fairly set as the No. 2 wild card (No. 5 overall seed) in the AL, the Cubs could finish anywhere from the No. 1 wild card to the No. 3 entering the final five games of the regular season. The Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres are tied going into Wednesday's action at 87-70. The Cubs hold the tiebreaker over the Phillies and the Padres and the Phillies have the tiebreaker over the Padres.

There will be no game on Sunday unless one of the games Friday or Saturday are postponed. Sunday is expected to be the worst of the days of the storm. It is also possible that a game will be played Monday if needed. The postseason begins Tuesday with all four Wild Card Series.

 

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[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Looking at the forecast, there is no way the game on Saturday is getting played. Potential makeup on Monday looks bad too

Edited Wednesday at 09:46 PM by Tangled Up in Plaid

[Bertz]

Guessing they are going to play game 3 in another park (Tampa?) on Sunday, but for Boston's $$$ sake they have to wait as long as possible to make that call

 

[Rcal10]

1 minute ago, Bertz said:

Guessing they are going to play game 3 in another park (Tampa?) on Sunday, but for Boston's $$$ sake they have to wait as long as possible to make that call

 

The longer they wait the worse the weather gets and the harder it is to get out of Boston. 

[Andy]

It might not matter but I'm not sure why they wouldn't also move the Saturday game earlier if they're going to move games around anyway. Seems like the weather only gets worse as the weekend progresses.

Edited Wednesday at 11:26 PM by Andy

[bukie]

47 minutes ago, Andy said:

It might not matter but I'm not sure why they wouldn't also move the Saturday game earlier if they're going to move games around anyway. Seems like the weather only gets worse as the weekend progresses.

They're already playing a day-night DH Friday, early game Saturday would be 3 games in about 26 hours.

[Rcal10]

2 minutes ago, bukie said:

They're already playing a day-night DH Friday, early game Saturday would be 3 games in about 26 hours.

They might have to do that. Saturday looks terrible. Of course I am sure they have a better idea of the weather than we do. 

[bukie]

6 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

They might have to do that. Saturday looks terrible. Of course I am sure they have a better idea of the weather than we do. 

I think there's a better chance they play elsewhere Sunday than earlier Saturday. 

[Rcal10]

42 minutes ago, bukie said:

I think there's a better chance they play elsewhere Sunday than earlier Saturday. 

If they can get it in early Saturday I think they will move it earlier. I just don’t see both teams flying out to Tampa during monsoon weather. I would think if they know early enough on Saturday that is just doesn’t look good they should make the decision early Saturday before real weather problems come. Worst thing that can happen is they plan to play Saturday and can’t. 

[macarthur31]

When a team clinches playoffs, I'm totally down for them to celebrate the achievement.  It's been a long season - only 12 teams get to do this.  

However, if they win today, I'm trying to figure out how raucous the celebration will be - given its a getaway day to Boston, and there's a doubleheader tomorrow.  I intuit that they'll probably only go at 60-70% intensity with it, and that's a great problem to have (*knocks on all sorts of wood around me, to stifle any jinx*).

[allen6510w]

13 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

If they can get it in early Saturday I think they will move it earlier. I just don’t see both teams flying out to Tampa during monsoon weather. I would think if they know early enough on Saturday that is just doesn’t look good they should make the decision early Saturday before real weather problems come. Worst thing that can happen is they plan to play Saturday and can’t. 

I would prefer they play the Saturday game on Sunday at 1:30 PM in Baltimore; the Ravens are in Dallas that day.  It would be close enough for Red Sox fans to drive to if they wish. 

While forecasts change, the current NWS forecast is for occasional rain Saturday afternoon through Sunday evening with rain likely 12 hours before and after that time-range.  Rain is possible beginning late Friday afternoon too. 

[Rcal10]

24 minutes ago, allen6510w said:

I would prefer they play the Saturday game on Sunday at 1:30 PM in Baltimore; the Ravens are in Dallas that day.  It would be close enough for Red Sox fans to drive to if they wish. 

While forecasts change, the current NWS forecast is for occasional rain Saturday afternoon through Sunday evening with rain likely 12 hours before and after that time-range.  Rain is possible beginning late Friday afternoon too. 

I think if they move the game it will be to a dome stadium. If rain is inevitable on Saturday I would think they would use that day as a travel day and play the game Sunday in a dome. Sucks that baseball is being driven by the almighty dollar they may lose because of one game not being played in Boston. I get it. That is the world we live in. But in this one case, shouldn’t being fair to the players take precedent? Cubs have to go with a lesser pitcher because no one has the proper rest to pitch Saturday. How is that fair to the Cubs? 

[bukie]

Update from a Boston Globe reporter:

 

 

[731.4life]

Cincinnati maybe the best option:

Cincinnati Bengals are at Pittsburgh Steelers

Cincinnati Reds are in Toronto

Temperatures are 73 degrees for Sunday, no rain.

[Bertz]

57 minutes ago, bukie said:

Update from a Boston Globe reporter:

 

 

I'm very curious what the pitching plan is with this seemingly firming up but also on the other hand the Gausman situation.

Padres and Braves are weaker against LHP than RHP, Phillies are better but barely.  Go Shota-Boyd-Holmes in the WC round, and target Game 1 of the DS for Gausman?

[Jason Ross]

Looks like Game 3 will be in Tampa. Someone did some sleuthing and found the Cubs charter has scheduled flight plans to Tampa tonight at 10pm.

Hard to tell if it's Sat or Sun for the actual game. I'd guess Sunday just to allow the teams to settle in a bit. But have to see official word. 

[jersey cubs fan]

22 hours ago, allen6510w said:

I would prefer they play the Saturday game on Sunday at 1:30 PM in Baltimore; the Ravens are in Dallas that day.  It would be close enough for Red Sox fans to drive to if they wish. 

While forecasts change, the current NWS forecast is for occasional rain Saturday afternoon through Sunday evening with rain likely 12 hours before and after that time-range.  Rain is possible beginning late Friday afternoon too. 

You’re unfamiliar with the NE corridor if you think Baltimore is close enough to Boston for fans to drive if they want, especially for a meaningless game 

[allen6510w]

A bit more familiar than I'd like.  I live near Baltimore and have a 20-game Oriole ticket plan.  Red Sox fans sometimes outnumber Oriole fans at weekend games,  but I'm sure you're right wrt traveling to see a meaningless game with the playoffs in sight.