The Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs are planning a Friday doubleheader at Fenway Park to get ahead of expected weekend rain that could disrupt the final series of the regular season.

The proposed change would allow both teams to complete two games before wetter conditions arrive Saturday and Sunday. The timing carries added importance for Chicago, which is still fighting for National League wild-card seeding with the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres.

The Boston Globe’s Tim Healey reported the developing plan Wednesday on X, formerly Twitter, citing a league source as MLB and both clubs work through weather contingencies.

Source: Red Sox and Cubs planning to play doubleheader Friday ahead of rainy weekend: https://t.co/H74lx3joh5

— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) September 23, 2026

The series originally called for one game Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at Fenway. If the teams play both games Friday, only one matchup will remain. The club's prefer Saturday for the finale and could move its scheduled evening start to an earlier time.

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As of Wednesday afternoon, MLB has not announced an official schedule change, so start times and the weekend format remain subject to change based on the forecast.

The Red Sox came into Wednesday at 84-73 after clinching a 2026 MLB postseason berth. The Cubs currently are 87-70 and tied with the Phillies and the Padres for the three NL wild-card spots. The Cubs own head-to-head tiebreakers over both clubs, making each remaining game important in the race for seeding and first-round home-field advantage.

Monday is the only buffer day between the regular-season finale and Tuesday’s Wild Card Series opener. A makeup game then would reduce rest and complicate travel plans, especially for teams opening the postseason on the road.

Sunday carries the greatest weather risk, according to the planning outlined Wednesday afternoon.

For now, the working plan is to use Friday’s more favorable weather window to complete two games and reduce the risk of the series spilling into Monday.