The Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox are set to wrap up their only series of the season on May 14, with first pitch scheduled for 6:45 p.m. at Fenway Park.
Unfortunately, the weather in Boston has looked grim for several days. Multiple forecasts have consistently projected an 80–95 percent chance of rain around game time, with wet conditions expected to persist throughout the evening. Since the Phillies and Red Sox do not play each other again this season and neither team has an off day on Friday, rescheduling the game if it is rained out would be a challenge.
For fans with tickets, though, scheduling concerns may take a back seat to recent frustrations. The Red Sox are still facing criticism over a rainout involving the Tampa Bay Rays on May 9. Despite forecasts clearly showing rain well in advance, Boston waited until just minutes before first pitch to postpone the game.
By that point, fans had already been inside Fenway Park for hours. Many traveled from across New England, and some came from out of state. They paid for parking or transportation, purchased food and drinks, and spent money on merchandise, only to be sent home at the last possible moment due to weather conditions that had been expected for days.
Because of that experience, fans attending the May 14 game are hoping the Red Sox take a different approach. The organization has a reputation for prioritizing revenue, and many viewed the delayed decision against Tampa Bay as more of a financial move than a logistical one. Wednesday night offers Boston a chance to repair some goodwill by making an early call and sparing fans unnecessary time and expense.
While the difficulty of finding a makeup date could push the Red Sox to wait as long as possible to see if the game can be played, the forecast suggests a postponement is likely. Given the circumstances, making that decision earlier would be the responsible choice.
Paying fans deserve better treatment than what they experienced a week ago. If the game is going to be postponed, doing so well in advance would show respect for the people who invest their time and money to attend.
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Connor Wong Avoids Serious Injury as Red Sox Catcher Progresses Quickly
Boston Red Sox catcher Connor Wong avoided a serious outcome after suffering an ankle injury Wednesday night, and the early prognosis is far more positive than initially feared.
Bench coach Chad Tracy shared an update ahead of Thursday’s game, saying Wong is doing much better than expected. While Wong will not be in the starting lineup, he is technically available in an emergency situation. His ankle is taped, his mobility is in good shape, and evaluations showed no damage to ligaments or tendons. He remains somewhat sore but has already begun moving around and doing light activity.
The injury happened when Wong got tangled up with Edmundo Sosa while attempting to catch a foul pop-up near the stands. Wong went down on the play, but Garrett Whitlock slid in to make the catch and end the inning.
If the series finale against the Philadelphia Phillies is played as scheduled—pending weather conditions—Carlos Narváez is expected to start behind the plate. Wong would be limited to emergency duty only. If the game is postponed, there is optimism that Wong could be closer to full strength by the time the Red Sox travel to Atlanta.
Wong has made 16 starts at catcher this season. Narváez has handled most of the workload behind the plate, and if additional depth is needed Thursday, Mickey Gasper could step in. Gasper has made one start at catcher this year.