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MLB has put the Red Sox in a unique position by moving their regular-season finale to St. Petersburg.
Boston, locked into a wild-card clash with the Yankees, is slated to finish the regular season Sunday against the Cubs at Tropicana Field — the home of the AL East-winning Rays.
MLB forced the change since a major nor’easter is expected to bring heavy rain and wind to the Northeast this weekend. The league originally scheduled the game for Saturday at 7:15 p.m. at Fenway Park, but officials moved it to Sunday at 3:05 p.m. ET.
Boston Red Sox’s Connor Wong (12) and Jedixson Paez (65) embrace after their ninth-inning win over the Chicago Cubs at Fenway Park in Boston, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. Getty ImagesThe upcoming storm prompted multiple schedule changes for the Sox-Cubs series since MLB needs the games to be played due to the Cubs’ playoff seeding uncertainty.
Sunday’s originally scheduled finale was moved up to Friday afternoon as part of a doubleheader, which the Red Sox swept.
Friday night’s game was moved up twice, first to 6:05 p.m. and then to 5:35 p.m. to fit the game in before the rain and wind ramp up later in the evening.
This means Boston has to travel down to Florida before they head back up to The Bronx for its playoff rematch against the Yankees beginning Tuesday.
Boston fans are unhappy with the change and how much travel in a short span can affect the team’s performance in a best-of-three playoff format.
Many Red Sox supporters are calling for the games to be canceled.
A general view of Tropicana Field is seen prior to a game between the Houston Astros and the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday, September 12, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Florida. MLB Photos via Getty ImagesUnfortunately, that cancellation can’t happen because of the significant playoff seeding this doubleheader entails.
The two-game series doesn’t have many playoff implications for Boston, but it heavily affects Chicago, which has already clinched a berth.
The Cubs sit two behind the Padres for the first NL Wild Card spot and own the head-to-head tiebreaker.
They own the tiebreaker against both the Phillies but can be passed by Philadelphia should the NL East squad best the Rays in the final two games and the Red Sox sweep the Cubs on Sunday.
As of Saturday morning, Chicago’s wild-card game Tuesday could happen in San Diego, Chicago or Atlanta.
Boston skipper Chad Tracy doesn’t have to worry about where his team’s plane will be heading after Sunday’s game, but he has an interesting weekend ahead and will have to keep his team focused through these changes and stay healthy for their upcoming playoff series in rival territory.
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