A multi-day nor’easter storm is barreling towards Fenway Park this weekend, threatening to douse the Cubs vs. Red Sox series with heavy rain and wind, potentially forcing postponements. This isn’t just a weather report, though. This storm could absolutely mess with the National League wild-card race, turning an already tight September into pure chaos.
The Red Sox Don’t Care, But the Cubs Sure Do
Here’s the kicker: the Boston Red Sox have already clinched a playoff spot. They’re basically locked into the second wild-card slot, so a potential postponement is little more than an inconvenience for them. They’ll just shrug it off. But Boston’s indifference is everything to the National League. For the Cubs, this storm has massive playoff implications. Chicago currently holds the top wild-card spot at 87-69, tied with the San Diego Padres. The Philadelphia Phillies are holding onto the final wild-card slot, four games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks. All three of these teams are likely headed to the postseason, but who gets home-field advantage? That’s far from settled, and Mother Nature might just be the deciding factor.
The NL Wild Card’s Wild Week Just Got Wilder
The Cubs are set to face the Miami Marlins, a team already eliminated from contention, before heading to Boston. If this storm forces the Red Sox into a doubleheader, Boston will surely make lineup and pitching decisions while already looking ahead to the start of the postseason. This could hand the Cubs a seriously advantageous path to securing home-field advantage over both the Phillies and the Padres. And get this: Philadelphia has a brutal week ahead, facing two of the best teams in baseball, the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays. San Diego also has a tough slate against the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks. A powerful storm is more than likely going to impact the games in Boston, injecting another level of unpredictability into this already wild finish.
So, what’s MLB’s plan for this storm? Fans are just going to have to wait and see what happens. Every game, every decision, and now every weather forecast matters with the postseason lurking right around the corner.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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