Sunday is usually for chill vibes, right? Not in MLB, especially when you’ve got a game like the Boston Red Sox versus the Chicago Cubs happening in Tropicana Field. Yeah, you read that right, Tropicana Field. The regular season finale got moved to a neutral site because a Nor’easter decided to roll through New England. It was totally the right call, no way they’d get a window to play in Boston today. But here’s the kicker: this game didn’t even need to happen. Both the Red Sox and the Cubs are already locked into the fifth seed, so this entire matchup is for pride and pride alone. Unless they meet in the World Series, but let’s not even go there right now.
Tanner Houck Is Back, But the Real Drama Is Elsewhere
Can you believe it? A whole 162-game season, and the finale is played at a neutral site, technically not even needing to happen. Still, there’s a small silver lining for Red Sox fans: Tanner Houck is back on the mound! His first start since way back in May, which is wild. You gotta wonder if he’s feeling any rust, or just pure relief to be back out there. Yeah, the article says he probably won’t be a postseason factor, but seeing him out there has gotta feel good for the guy, right? Speaking of the postseason, Willson Contreras and Ceddanne Rafaela are both in the lineup today, which is a huge positive sign. You just hope Contreras is swinging clean as he grinds through his injury. On the flip side, though, a major blow to the bullpen: Tyron Guerrero hit the injured list. That’s a massive hit right before the playoffs, man. Wyatt Olds took his spot, and Nate Eaton replaced Mickey Gasper, but you never want to see a key arm go down when it matters most.
The AL West and NL Wild Card Are Absolute Chaos!
But hey, if meaningless baseball in Florida isn’t your jam, trust me, there’s plenty of real, nail-biting drama out there! The AL West is PURE FIRE right now. We’ve got the Astros and Rangers tied for the top spot, dead even! Houston holds the tiebreaker, which is clutch for them. It means the Rangers have to win AND hope for an Astros loss if they want to avoid the tiebreaker. And get this: the Astros are throwing Peter Lambert, who just pitched 62 pitches on Thursday. That’s short rest, and honestly, that’s kinda cool to see a guy dig deep like that, even if I’m personally rooting for the Rangers to make it in just so we don’t have to deal with Yordan Alvarez. That guy’s a terror at the plate!
Over in the National League, the Phillies are in a full-blown tailspin, losing four straight already! But they still control their own destiny, believe it or not. Win today, and they’re in. Lose a fifth straight, and if the Diamondbacks pull out a win, Philly is OUT of the playoffs on the last day. Can you even imagine the pressure on that team right now? Talk about high stakes! And of course, there’s weather in Philadelphia too. What is it with crazy weather on the last day of the season? It’s like the baseball gods are trying to make things extra dramatic!
So, yeah, it’s the last day of the regular season, and it’s a wild one across the league. Whether you’re into the “meaningless” game at Tropicana or the absolute playoff chaos, there’s baseball for everyone. Grab your cold ones, settle in on the couch, and watch the madness unfold. First pitch for the Red Sox and Cubs is at 3:05 pm on NESN and WEEI, or catch the Cubs on @WatchMarquee. This is what it’s all about!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Over the Monster.
Leave a Reply