The threat of inclement weather all day today, combined – I presume – with a preference not to have players and staff sit around waiting together for six, eight, ten hours or whatever, means that today’s Cubs-Marlins game isn’t going to happen today.
I’m gobsmacked, but that’s the report (see update below for confirmation and more info):
Today's Cubs game has been cancelled, @670TheScore has learned. It's 100% weather-related.
— Jay Zawaski (@JayZawaski670) October 1, 2020
We’ll get more information soon, I expect, but everyone who is looking at the radar and forecasts is noting the same thing:
This is WGN's projected radar at 3 PM pic.twitter.com/e1PH8B0q5x
— Fury Rhodes (@ericmichel) October 1, 2020
If the game is indeed postponed, it’s possible they’ll bump it to tomorrow, and then play a decisive game on Saturday, if necessary (there are no other games scheduled for this weekend). I don’t think we’re gonna see a playoff doubleheader tomorrow.
UPDATE: It’s official. Wow. No game today. This one has been pushed to tomorrow at 1pm CT, and then Game Three, if necessary, is on Saturday with a time TBA, per Jesse Rogers. Note that if Cubs-Marlins is only game remaining on the schedule tomorrow, it’ll instead be at 6pm CT. Either way, the game will be on ABC.
The best I can figure, MLB was very quick to pull the trigger on this because there is so much flexibility built into the schedule between these Wild Card series and the NLDS. It’s pretty easy to just avoid the risk of intermittent rain delays today by pushing to tomorrow.
As for what this means for the Cubs, you just hope Yu Darvish’s routine isn’t thrown off too badly (he’d still be in line to take game two of the NLDS if the Cubs get there, so no worries). At least now, though, he won’t pitch a few innings, sit down for a rain delay, and then maybe not be able to come back in (or struggle because of it).
The Marlins get another day for Starling Marte to rest his fractured pinkie and try to play (he was going to be out today).