Red Sox travel delays keep team in Chicago until Friday afternoon
A series of mechanical and weather-related problems delayed the Boston Red Sox’s flight from Chicago to New York, causing the team to arrive at Citi Field more than 22 hours after the game was scheduled.
The Boston Red Sox did not reach New York’s Citi Field until Friday afternoon after a prolonged travel ordeal that began in Chicago on Thursday. After finishing a sweep of the Chicago White Sox, the team arrived at Midway International Airport around 6 p.m. but faced a weather-related takeoff delay. A subsequent mechanical failure of the tow cart that moves the plane onto the runway added six hours of waiting, and the issue could not be resolved before midnight.
The team spent the night in two downtown Chicago hotels arranged at short notice by travel director Mark Cacciatore. They returned to the airport the next morning, boarded the same aircraft, and encountered a separate cockpit electrical problem that caused an additional three-hour delay. The flight finally departed at 1:34 p.m. Central Time and landed at LaGuardia at 4:45 p.m., with the Red Sox reaching Citi Field shortly thereafter.
Players described the experience as unusual, noting long periods of inactivity on the plane and limited food options, including only donuts initially. They used the time to play cards and walk the aisles, trying to keep morale up. Upon arrival, Mets staff helped unload equipment, and the teams quickly moved to pre-game preparations.
Interim manager Chad Tracy praised the travel staff’s effort, saying, "Give Cacc a lot of credit; he got a lot of people rooms on pretty much no notice." Pitcher Payton Tolle added that the delay was a rare experience for the squad, while reliever Garrett Whitlock noted the situation was reminiscent of travel challenges faced by minor-league players.