Nor'easter Forecast Threatens Red Sox-Cubs Series at Fenway Park

A storm bearing down on New England could force schedule changes for the final weekend of MLB's regular season, with Chicago's playoff seeding still unresolved.

A nor'easter expected to reach New England late this week may disrupt the final weekend of the 2026 MLB regular season. The Red Sox are scheduled to close their home slate against the Cubs with a three-game series at Fenway Park from Sept. 25-27, but heavy rain and strong winds are in the forecast for the Boston area.

Boston has already locked up an American League playoff berth and appears set for the No. 5 seed, which would mean a Wild Card series against the No. 4 Yankees at Yankee Stadium. The winner of that matchup would face the top-seeded Rays in the AL Division Series.

Chicago's stakes are far higher. The Cubs hold the top National League Wild Card spot and the No. 4 NL seed, putting them in position to host a first-round series at Wrigley Field. But they could still land anywhere from the No. 4 seed to the No. 6 seed, or miss the playoffs entirely, making each remaining game meaningful.

No contingency plans have been finalized for the weekend. According to MLB sources, the league would rely on its standard procedures for unplayable weather, which could include shifting game times in consultation with the MLB Players Association or pushing games to Monday if the results still matter for seeding.

A similar scenario played out in 2024, when Hurricane Helene forced the Mets and Braves to complete their season with a doubleheader a day later. The compressed schedule drew criticism that year, and MLB has generally avoided neutral-site relocations except in the most extreme cases.