Red Sox, Cubs eye Friday doubleheader with rain looming at Fenway
The short version
- Red Sox and Cubs are planning a Friday doubleheader at Fenway Park ahead of expected weekend rain, per The Boston Globe's Tim Healey.
- MLB had not confirmed a schedule change as of Wednesday afternoon.
- The Cubs (87-70) are tied with the Phillies and Padres for the NL wild-card spots and hold head-to-head tiebreakers over both.
- The Red Sox (84-73) have already clinched a 2026 postseason berth.
- A Monday makeup game would leave only one rest day before Tuesday's Wild Card Series begins.
Boston and Chicago are working with MLB on a plan to play two games Friday to avoid weekend washouts in the final series of the regular season.
The Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs are planning to play a doubleheader Friday at Fenway Park in an effort to get ahead of rain expected over the weekend, according to a Wednesday report from The Boston Globe's Tim Healey, who cited a league source on X. The series was originally scheduled as one game each on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Under the proposed change, both teams would complete two games Friday while conditions are more favorable. Sunday appears to carry the highest weather risk, and the clubs would prefer to play the finale Saturday, potentially moving an evening start to an earlier time. MLB had not announced an official schedule change as of Wednesday afternoon, so start times and the weekend format remain fluid.
The stakes are higher for Chicago, which entered Wednesday at 87-70 and tied with the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres for the three National League wild-card spots. The Cubs hold head-to-head tiebreakers over both teams, leaving seeding and first-round home-field advantage on the line in every remaining game.
Boston, at 84-73, has already clinched a 2026 postseason berth. Monday is the only open date between Sunday's scheduled finale and Tuesday's Wild Card Series opener, so a Monday makeup game would cut into rest and complicate travel, particularly for clubs opening the playoffs on the road.
