​NEW YORK — The Red Sox will need to put their “show-and-go” approach to the test Friday night at Citi Field. Because of significant travel delays, Boston’s team charter from Chicago to New York did not arrive until 4:35 p.m. ET on Friday, just two hours and 40 minutes before first pitch against the Mets. According to FlightAware, the private Delta flight departed Chicago’s Midway Airport at 2 p.m. CT (3 p.m. ET) en route to LaGuardia Airport, which sits less than three miles from the Mets’ ballpark. The Red Sox players and coaches then reached the ballpark around 5 p.m. ET, though their equipment lagged behind.
In response, Major League Baseball pushed back the first pitch by 35 minutes, and the game is now slated to begin at 7:50 p.m. “Throw it back to the travel-ball days where it’s like you drive, show up wherever you’re going and ‘show-and-go,’” reliever Garrett Whitlock said. “Get out there and play and have fun… We know it’s not a normal day, but let’s just have fun.”
Boston’s matinee on Thursday against the White Sox wrapped up at 3:43 p.m. CT at Rate Field. The plan had been to fly from Midway to Newark at 8:44 p.m. CT, continuing the standard routine of heading to the next city as soon as the final game in the current city ends. Those plans were canceled, and the Red Sox remained in Chicago as of 2:30 p.m. ET on Friday.
This flight-related disruption is not an isolated incident for the Red Sox, who have endured a string of travel hiccups over the last two seasons. Last July, turbulence on the team’s flight from Boston to Minnesota left some players unavailable for the following day’s game against the Twins. In late June, mechanical issues in Denver caused a lengthy delay on the return trip, with players and coaches finally arriving home in the early hours ahead of a 7:10 p.m. first pitch against the Yankees.
Friday’s series opener features right-hander Sonny Gray on the mound for the Red Sox and Nolan McLean starting for the Mets. The game will be streamed exclusively on Apple TV as Boston aims to extend its season-high winning streak to seven games. Read the original article on MassLive. Adding MassLive as a preferred source can boost SEO. This rewrite matches the original details while presenting them in a fresh, natural narrative suitable for readers seeking the latest on the Red Sox and their travel-induced schedule changes.