Red Sox and Cubs move regular-season finale to Tropicana Field Sunday

The Red Sox and Cubs will finish the regular season in St. Petersburg rather than Boston. Major League Baseball's announcement moved their Saturday game at Fenway Park to Sunday at 3:05 p.m. Eastern at Tropicana Field, the home of the Tampa Bay Rays. MLB cited the forecast for a nor'easter affecting the Boston area through the weekend. This is a change of both day and ballpark for the scheduled series finale, not an additional game.

The clubs were set to travel to Florida after Friday's day-night doubleheader at Fenway, according to the league. Boston won those games 4-3 and 2-0. The Red Sox doubleheader report covers the two completed results; Sunday's neutral-site game is the remaining Game 162. MLB's relocation notice says tickets purchased directly from the Red Sox for the Fenway game will be refunded to the original payment method within seven days and hold no value for Sunday's game. The Rays' ticket page offers seats for the St. Petersburg game.

The move matters beyond the weather logistics. MLB's Cubs report says Boston secured the American League's No. 5 seed with its win in Friday's opener and is headed to New York for a Wild Card Series against the Yankees. Chicago has clinched a National League Wild Card berth but entered the finale with its exact seed still in play. MLB reported that the Cubs held tiebreakers over both San Diego and Philadelphia. Those standings could change before Sunday's first pitch, so the current bracket should be checked again before declaring any Cubs opponent or home site.

Red Sox manager Chad Tracy told MLB that the team had packed for a long road trip covering the neutral-site game and the Wild Card Series. That planning reflects the itinerary, not a postseason result. First, Boston and Chicago need to play one more regular-season game at a ballpark neither calls home. MLB's announced start is 3:05 p.m. Eastern Sunday, September 27; any later schedule or pitching change belongs in the official game listing.