The Boston Red Sox have finally landed in New York. Their plane touched down at 4:54 p.m. EDT. Now, they must get to Citi Field before the 7:15 p.m. game against the Mets.
“Red Sox are awaiting transportation to Citi Field, so the expectation is they’ll still play at 7:15 p.m. ET.,” wrote MassLive reporter Chris Cotillo at 4:57 p.m. “(Staring pitcher) Sonny Gray did not fly ahead, so he’s not here yet, for those wondering.”
Stuck in Chicago for nearly a full day after Thursday’s series finale against the Chicago White Sox, the team’s charter lifted off at 1:34 CDT (2:34 EDT) Friday afternoon, racing the clock to make a 7:15 p.m. first pitch against the New York Mets at Citi Field.
A mechanical scramble stranded Boston in the Midwest well past when the club expected to be en route, and now every minute matters, with LaGuardia Airport sitting just a short ride from Citi Field.
Boston Red Sox Flight Delay Timeline
Red Sox reporter Ian Browne confirmed through multiple sources that the team had “lifted off and are en route to New York,” adding, “fortunately, LaGuardia is right next to Citi Field.”
The team’s charter is scheduled to land at LaGuardia at approximately 4:46 p.m. ET, according to flight tracking shared on social media, putting the Red Sox on the ground less than three hours before first pitch.
That’s a tight window by any standard, but not an impossible one. The short hop from LaGuardia to Citi Field has bailed out travel-weary teams before, and it’s the one piece of geographic luck working in Boston’s favor Friday.
The trouble traces back to Thursday, when the Red Sox hit multiple plane issues trying to leave Chicago after their afternoon game against the White Sox, according to The Boston Globe. That finale capped a three-game sweep of Chicago, giving Boston plenty to feel good about even as its charter sat idle on the tarmac for hours afterward.
An earlier flight, originally set to depart Midway for Newark at 5:25 p.m. Thursday, was scrapped entirely, according to social media reports, leaving the traveling party searching for a new aircraft overnight and into Friday morning.
Boston remained grounded into Friday afternoon before finally getting clearance to fly, more than 20 hours after Thursday’s game had ended, with players and staff left waiting on standby for word of a fix.
New York Mets Series Opener Status
As of Friday afternoon, no postponement or delay had been announced. The plan remained for the Red Sox and Mets to play as scheduled, according to The Globe, provided Boston’s charter landed in time for players to reach the ballpark, dress and warm up.
The situation stayed up in the air, so to speak, throughout the day, with team and league sources continuing to track the flight’s progress while Citi Field grounds crews proceeded with normal pregame preparations, treating the 7:15 p.m. start as the target for the game that will be streamed exclusively nationwide by Apple TV+.
Batting practice and pregame stretching routines are the first casualties when a charter runs late, leaving players to loosen up however they can find time for once they reach the clubhouse.
Travel headaches seem on-brand for this Red Sox club. Boston dealt with a similar travel breakdown out of Denver last month, one that had the team landing in Boston around 5 a.m. the day their homestand began.
That stretch marked the start of a six-game winning streak for Boston, part of an 11-3 run over its past 13 games.
Whether Friday’s delay disrupts their momentum after winning 11 of their last 13, or simply becomes another footnote in an increasingly chaotic travel season, Boston won’t have much time to find out. First pitch at Citi Field remains set for 7:15 p.m.
Red Sox Finally Land in New York — Will They Reach Citi Field for Mets Game?