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With rain forecast in the Cincinnati area all evening, Major League Baseball pulled the plug on tonight’s Cubs/Reds game about an hour after game time:
Tonight's game vs the Cubs has been postponed. No makeup date has been scheduled.
— Reds Media Relations (@RedsPR) July 30, 2020
The Cubs will return to Cincinnati August 28-30, that is, if baseball’s still being played by then. I have my doubts. If they do wind up playing a doubleheader then, there could be a difference in the way the games are played:
MLB, union making progress on deal that would allow for doubleheaders consisting of two seven-inning games, sources tell me and @Jaysonst. Would be for 2020 season only. Parties believe more doubleheaders will be necessary as schedule is adjusted. Idea is to preserve pitching.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 30, 2020
This is a good idea, for 2020 only. Minor leagues have played seven-inning doubleheaders for many years.
The game could have been called earlier, as noted by Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo:
Player safety? @mlb let’s sit around for 8 plus hours inside the clubhouse.. I’m sure I can find that somewhere in the 113 page player safety protocol.
— Anthony Rizzo (@ARizzo44) July 30, 2020
Good for Rizzo for speaking up. I understand the desire to get the games in due to the compressed schedule, but sometimes weather simply doesn’t permit, Especially now, as Rizzo noted, players shouldn’t be sitting around for hours in the clubhouse.
So, the Cubs will be able to get back home a bit earlier this evening, once they can get packed up for their charter flight. They’re scheduled to play the Pirates at Wrigley Field Friday evening at 7:15 p.m. CT. Nothing’s been stated yet, but I would assume tonight’s starter Yu Darvish will be pushed back and start Friday.
As always, we await developments.