Report: Cardinals-Cubs London Series Canceled
(CBS Chicago) -- The MLB London Series, between the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs, has been canceled, according to the British newspaper, The Sun. The series was originally scheduled for June 13 and 14, 2020 at London Stadium in London. But due to the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic, gathering in large numbers seems likely to remain a grave danger to individuals and societies for the foreseeable future. MLB has not yet officially made any announcement.
The two-game series was to be the second of two series between traditional rivals to be played in London. In 2019, the first London Series pitted the Boston Red Sox against the New York Yankees. The Yankees swept the inaugural series, winning the first game 17-13 and the second game 12-8. The slugfest included 65 hits, 15 doubles and 10 home runs, with Olympic Stadium looking like the Coors Field of Europe.
The Cardinals won the National League Central last season, edging out the Milwaukee Brewers with a 91-71 mark. The Cards downed the Atlanta Braves in the NL Division Series only to be swept out of the eventual World Series champion Washington Nationals in the Championship Series. The Chicago Cubs toyed with playoff contention into September before fading. The Cubs ended the season at 84-78.
The second London Series projected to be a highlight of the 2020 schedule, with both teams looking to contend in the NL Central once again. However, the MLB season, which would've started last week, remains on hold. Opening Day was first postponed until mid-April and then mid-May. Additional delays seem imminent, as COVID-19 cases continue to mount.
The United Kingdom is one of the many countries around the world facing dangers from the coronavirus. The government announced another 260 related deaths on Saturday, pushing the total number of UK deaths over 1,000. The total number of confirmed cases has surpassed 17,000.
