Let's Road Trip Cubs 2025: Trip #7 - Three Towns, Nine Games, Nine Nights

Washington Nationals - June 3-5
Nationals Park - Capacity 41,339
2024 Attendance: 1,967,302 (Averaged 24,287, ranked 13th out of NL parks and 22nd overall)

The Cubs swept their way into and out of the nation's capital in late-August of 2024, winning two close games before clubbing 14 runs to victory in the finale.  Overall the Cubs are 29-25 on their road trips to Nationals Park, with Washington, D.C. serving as another home away from Wrigley for Chicago. A closer look at the history reveals a streaky nature, with sweeps skewing the stats during the leaner years. The Nationals hold the normal home field advantage in the majority of seasons. In general, D.C. has been a place where the Cubs can make a move up the standings while on the road, and hopefully that theme continues into 2025.

In 2004, the Montreal Expos’ story ended, and the Washington Nationals’ story began. After Major League Baseball took over the Expos, they brokered the move for baseball to return to Washington, D.C., after the town birthed and lost the Senators… twice.  The Twins and Rangers can thank the city for their franchises, but the Nationals haven’t had much to be thankful for since 2019 saw them rise to the pinnacle and bring home the World Series trophy. The days of Bryce Harper, Steven Strasburg and Juan Soto are long gone. 2025 sees the beginning of the Amed Rosario era!

Most towns on the MLB circuit can provide a weekend of sights and sounds, but Washington, D.C. could easily take a week or more of a tourist’s time. May is a beautiful time to visit the city’s national monuments and museums, political landmarks, and coastal sights.

After the team languished at RFK Stadium for its first four years, Nationals Park opened in 2008 with much fanfare and little flair. There isn’t a distinguishing component of the stadium, but it serves as a great venue to watch baseball along the Anacostia River. With its walkable open-air outfield concourse and its clean lines, Nationals Park focuses the attention on the actual game. With a drop in play and in attendance in recent seasons, will the Nationals need to re-think this strategy to attract fans? Or will this stadium continue to be a road teams’ haven? The Nationals have had a losing record at home since that 2019 championship run, and opposing fans hope that momentum continues!

Regardless of how warmly or rudely the Cubs are welcomed in and out of the capital, they need to rally up as they head west to face the upstart Tigers.

Detroit Tigers - June 6-8
Comerica Park - Capacity 41,083
2024 Attendance: 1,858,295 (Averaged 23,824, ranked 11th out of AL parks, 24th overall MLB)

Chicago last visited the Tigers at Comerica Park in August 2023, and they came away with a two games-to-one series victory. Since the cross-divisional road trip began in 2001, the Cubs and Tigers have played to a virtual tie at Comerica Park, with the Cubs winning nine games and the Tigers winning ten. Something has to give when the Cubs return to town this June.

When Comerica Park opened, it attempted to replace a jewel box ballpark icon in Tiger Stadium. How did they do it? Well, for starters, they built a bunch of giant Tiger statues. Then, they made the dimensions of the outfield astronomical in nature. The walls were so far back that they realized they messed up and brought them back in starting in 2003. Players’ stats continue to take a hit from the dimensions, and the walls were brought in yet again prior to the 2023 season.

Located just a few blocks from the Detroit River/Canadian Border, Comerica Park sits in the downtown district, with plenty of entertainment and eatery options. There is thew Motown Museum, the Corner Ballpark (a recreation of Tiger Stadium), the Detroit Institute of Arts, and the Henry Ford Museum just down the road. In-stadium attractions for traveling fans include a carousel, Ferris Wheel, and the Tigers Hall of Fame.

After wrapping up in Detroit, the team's nine games in nine days on the road concludes with a trip back east to Philadelphia to face the pesky Phillies.

Philadelphia Phillies - June 9-11
Citizens Bank Park - Capacity 42,901
2024 Attendance: 3,363,712 (Averaged 41,527, 2nd out of 15 AL parks and 3rd overall)

The Cubs' trip to Philadelphia in late-September 2024 proved that they were not up for a playoff run. The same inconsistency that plagued their first five months of the season continued on in a one-game-to-two series loss. In 62 games at Citizens Bank Park, the Cubs have gone 26-36, making this an annual trip for surviving rather than thriving. There has never been a series sweep either direction in those games, but the overall message is that coming out of Philadelphia better off than when you entered is a rare occurrence.

I was surprised to discover that the Phillies have lost more games than any other American sports franchise. I only seem to remember the captivating squads of the 90’s and the World Series attending teams of recent history. However, the giant former home of the Phillies, Veterans Stadium, often saw nothing but epic disappointment. At 67,000, Veterans Stadium had the capacity for greatness, and the vibe of concrete sterility. In 2004, the team began a new chapter with the more intimate and contemporary Citizens Bank Park.

The seating at Citizens Bank is described as “sitting over the field,” and the unique wind tunnel alleyways and small left- and right-field corners set the stage for plenty of home runs and excitement. Opposing fans can get up close and personal with the visitor’s bullpen in left-center field, or just hang out and listen to the Phillies fans give them grief. Of all of the stadiums that I researched, this one seems to be the least hospitable to away team jerseys and presence in general. Attenders beware!

The ballpark also seems to be set up for prime standing room only options, and its main food vendors exist in the open outfield concourse. There’s a kid’s wiffle-ball field in right-field, and a Wall of Fame in left. And, of course, keep your head on a swivel unless you want to get accosted by the Phillie Phanatic.

Philadelphia itself oozes history and tourist destinations. The start of American democracy and government, the pursuit of freedom and liberty, and the origins of the great cheesesteak all find their home here. You can pretend you are Rocky as you run the steps of the Museum of Art, or just sit there and watch other people exhaust themselves trying.

After this grueling road trip, the Cubs return home for a three-team, ten-game homestand against Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, and Seattle. Anyone heading to these road games? Have you ever been to these ballparks? Any tips?