ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Major League Baseball is preparing for the possibility of relocating the regular-season finale between the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox to Tropicana Field due to a severe storm threatening Boston.
Tropicana Field operational prep
What we know:
Operations teams inside Tropicana Field are standing by to handle short-notice logistics, including security staffing, concessions, ticketing and neutral-site venue branding.
The Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox are playing a split doubleheader Friday at Fenway Park. If approved Friday morning, the Cubs are prepared to fly straight to St. Petersburg after Friday night's action.
Weather impact on game
What we don't know:
It remains unconfirmed whether MLB will officially trigger the contingency plan to move Sunday's regular-season finale south.
Officials have not yet announced game times or ticket availability in the event the game is moved to St. Petersburg.
Postseason stakes in play
Why you should care:
Both the Cubs and Red Sox are actively competing for critical postseason seeding, making a rain out on Sunday an unacceptable option for the league.
Playing under the dome at Tropicana Field eliminates weather risks and provides total certainty that the final regular-season game will be completed.
Past dome backup games
The backstory:
Tropicana Field last served as a neutral-site MLB venue in 2017.
That relocation occurred when the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers played in St. Petersburg after Hurricane Harvey devastated the Houston area.
Official decision timeline
What's next:
Major League Baseball is expected to make an official announcement regarding the game location later Friday morning.
If approved, ticket sales and game-time schedules will immediately follow the announcement.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from broadcast report details and statements from Red Sox full-time manager Chad Tracy.