Hey, I shit all over MLB a few days ago, but credit to the league for maybe actually trying to find a reasonable solution for this weekend’s series between the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox. A storm has already forced a schedule change, but it’s not necessarily the greatest outcome for the Cubs, who are currently penciled into a doubleheader on Friday. Sure, they would get Sunday off, an extra day of rest before the start of the playoffs, but their pitching plans would be in disarray with the doubleheader moved up ahead of time. Now, a new plan may be on the table to move the series to a new city.
The Cubs are finishing up their final home series on Thursday before flying out to Boston. As of now, the Cubs will play at Fenway Park. However, the league has not ruled out the possibility of moving the series to Tampa Bay, where the Cubs and Red Sox would play at Tropicana Field, home of the Rays.
Via Chris Cotillo.
Moving at least part of this weekend’s Red Sox-Cubs series to Tropicana Field has been discussed by MLB, I’m told, though nothing is finalized. Lots of possibilities in play.
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Still, it would be pretty annoying if the Cubs ultimately had to fly to Boston after Thursday’s game at Wrigley Field, then play only one game Friday, and fly again to Tampa Friday night. The obvious solution seems to be to move the entire three-game series to Tampa from the start.
We’ll see what ends up happening, but hopefully MLB comes to its senses and makes the right call here, which is to move the series to Tampa, so that both the Cubs and Red Sox know on Thursday that they’re going to be flying down to Florida, instead of holding them hostage in Boston during the weekend.
(Previous Update)
This might still cost the Chicago Cubs, but it’s a lot better than forcing them to play a doubleheader the day before their Wild Card series, which was apparently on the table just yesterday. Luckily, MLB has come to its senses and made changes to the weekend series between the Cubs and the Boston Red Sox.
A storm will hit the Boston area hard this weekend, and as of Tuesday, it appeared as though MLB was going to let the Cubs hang out to dry. Although the Red Sox are hosting, they’re essentially locked into the second Wild Card seed in the American League. However, the Cubs are currently in a three-way tie for home-field advantage in the National League Wild Card series with the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres, so the final series of the regular season will likely determine who hosts alongside the Atlanta Braves to begin the playoffs.
Sunday’s forecast leaves little chance that the Cubs and Red Sox can play, so they’ll play a doubleheader on Friday, and Saturday night’s game could also be moved up to avoid the inclement weather. The Red Sox officially announced the schedule change on Wednesday.
Still, this schedule isn’t exactly the best-case scenario for the Cubs. Yes, it is 100% better than playing on Monday or even a doubleheader on Monday, but moving the doubleheader to the start of the series instead of Saturday will create pitching trouble for Craig Counsell and the Cubs.
Right now, Shōta Imanaga is scheduled to pitch the final regular-season game, and he’ll be doing it on short rest after throwing 91 pitches in five innings on Tuesday. Normally, teams can carry an extra pitcher, or a “27th man,” when playing a doubleheader, but because rosters have already expanded in September, the Cubs will not be allowed to call up an extra arm for Friday.
If MLB had prioritized competitive fairness, it could have moved the series away from Boston so the three games would be played on a normal schedule. For example, the Tampa Bay Rays end their season on the road, leaving their indoor stadium open for a potential series between the Cubs and Red Sox. But no, instead, the Cubs will play a moved-up doubleheader.
It’s not all bad news. If the Cubs take care of business in the next two games against the Miami Marlins, then they’ll be closer to clinching home-field advantage heading into Boston. The Red Sox won’t have anything to play for, which means their top pitchers will be rested. Finally, the Cubs will get an extra day off if they get out of Boston Saturday night, leaving Sunday free before Monday’s off day.
Bottom line, the Cubs, as they have all season, will have to overcome some adversity until the very end.
UPDATE
OK, maybe there will be a venue change after all, but not until game 162?
Only fitting that this wild 2026 season will have chaos until the very end.
