Rescheduled flight suggests Reds may play Royals on Tuesday
By John Buhler
Will the Cincinnati Reds play the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night?
Maybe the Cincinnati Reds will only be off for a weekend after one positive COVID-19 test?
The Reds were able to play the first game of their three-game series with the NL Central rival Pittsburgh Pirates Friday night before being forced out of action on Saturday and Sunday due to one member of their team testing positive for the coronavirus. The MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reported there were no positive tests with the Reds on Sunday morning, so things are looking up.
On Sunday evening, we saw the Reds’ official flight with Delta Airlines to Kansas City for 8:00 p.m. CT on Monday, Aug. 17 be canceled. An hour later on Sunday evening, a new flight was booked for an 11:00 a.m. CT departure out of Covington, Kentucky. This new flight plan suggests the Reds will face the Royals on Tuesday night to begin their two-game series at Kauffman Stadium.
Cincinnati Reds’ flight to KC on Monday has been cancelled. Reds scheduled to play Royals on Tuesday. We’ll await further information - this does not mean postponement of games!
— Sports + Aviation (@SportsAviation) August 16, 2020
DAL8879 | CVG - MKC#TakeTheCentral pic.twitter.com/oCrQObOgHK
Cincinnati Reds rescheduled flight to KC on Tuesday AM with series still on vs. Royals starting Tuesday night. DAL8879. #TakeTheCentral pic.twitter.com/vZOnD1uLwo
— Sports + Aviation (@SportsAviation) August 17, 2020
Perhaps we’ll see some Cincinnati Reds baseball as early as Tuesday night?
While a team chartered flight could be canceled as swiftly as this one was set up, for now, it looks like the Reds’ two-game series with the Royals in Kansas City is still on. With the flight only being from Cincinnati, Ohio to Kansas City, Missouri, it would suggest a very early afternoon arrival time for the Reds, which would be plenty of time to get to Kauffman and prepare to take on the Royals.
Of course, there is a possibility MLB might make this a doubleheader on Wednesday to allow an extra day between the lone positive test with the Reds from Friday and a return to play five days later. Either way, it looks like the Reds will play the Royals for their upcoming two-game series as early as Tuesday night and no later than Wednesday afternoon. This flight plan has us optimistic.
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This would be by far and away the quickest turnaround of a team having a positive coronavirus test and getting back onto the field. Cincinnati’s issues with the virus seem to be minimal and nowhere near as invasive as it was with the Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals. With a schedule day off anyway on Monday, let’s hope for more positive news regarding the Reds.
Flights can change at a moment’s notice, but we should for now expect the Reds to play soon.