What's expected to be the final weekend of MLB's regular season could drag on for longer than expected thanks to a powerful storm expected to hit the Northeast in the coming days. The nor'easter's timing could be so inopportune that the final weekend could be interrupted and the playoff race could be impacted.
Given the murky forecast, MLB has already pivoted and changed the Boston Red Sox's weekend plans. Here's a look at what was decided with Boston and what other series — and playoff races — might be impacted moving forward.
How MLB is ensuring Red Sox and Cubs get their games in
The storm is expected to be at its most powerful later in the weekend, so in light of that, MLB has the Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs set to play a doubleheader on Friday.
Source: Red Sox and Cubs planning to play doubleheader Friday ahead of rainy weekend: https://t.co/H74lx3joh5
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) September 23, 2026
Game times have not been revealed, but they shouldn't have much of an issue getting the games in on Friday. Tim Healey of the Boston Globe, who broke this news, also noted that Saturday's game, currently scheduled to begin at 7:15 p.m. ET, could be moved up to earlier in the day if the forecast calls for it. MLB is trying to be as flexible as possible to ensure these games, which could be crucial for both teams, get played.
Games and teams facing the greatest postponement risk
Below is a look at the weekend series that currently face the greatest postponement risk due to the nor'easter.
Home | Away |
|---|---|
Boston Red Sox | Chicago Cubs |
New York Yankees | Baltimore Orioles |
Philadelphia Phillies | Tampa Bay Rays |
Washington Nationals | New York Mets |
Even with MLB moving Boston's games up, the rain could be an issue at Fenway. It figures to be an issue in the entire northeast, too, from Washington D.C. on up to Boston. That means that games that take place in Washington, Philadelphia, New York and Boston could be impacted.
Wild Card races and seeding battles that could be affected
The good news (if there is any good news that comes from this) is that some of these series might not mean anything. The Red Sox-Cubs series features two playoff-bound teams, but Boston might be locked into the No. 5 seed by the weekend, meaning the games will be meaningless to them. The Cubs are in a tight race for seeding in the NL Wild Card picture, but their fate could be sealed by this weekend as well.
The New York Yankees are already locked into the No. 4 seed, and with one more loss, the Baltimore Orioles would be eliminated from postseason contention entirely, meaning that this weekend's series in the Bronx might mean nothing. The Washington Nationals and the New York Mets have both been eliminated from postseason contention for over a week now, so their games are irrelevant.
As for the Philadelphia Phillies' series, that could be an issue. The Tampa Bay Rays have clinched the AL East and the AL's No. 1 seed, so it doesn't mean anything to them, but the Phillies are in the aforementioned Wild Card race with the Cubs. Every game could matter in determining where they're seeded in the playoffs.
At least two of the four series impacted by this nor'easter will likely include at least one team fighting for something in the playoff race. That means that MLB could wind up with a scheduling nightmare if weather doesn't cooperate.
MLB’s options for doubleheaders and Monday makeup games
This could mean having teams play on Monday, which is the last thing anybody would want. Playing on Monday, the day before the postseason is set to begin on Tuesday, would be a scheduling nightmare for teams that will be participating n the playoffs, though it's not an unprecedented move.
Just two years ago, we saw the Mets and the Atlanta Braves play a doubleheader in Atlanta the day after the regular season was supposed to wrap up and the day before the playoffs, with both teams still fighting for a postseason berth. They wound up splitting the doubleheader, allowing them to both reach October.
MLB setting the precedent by having Boston and Chicago play a doubleheader on Friday is a good thing, and perhaps other teams will follow suit. As annoying as doubleheaders are, playing on Monday, while possible, should be treated as a last resort.
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