Updated Weather Forecast for Cubs vs. Red Sox at Fenway Amid MLB Playoff Race as Nor'easter Nears

The Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs have a series with plenty of playoff implications this weekend, and Mother Nature isn't making things any easier.

The Red Sox and Cubs played the first two games of the series in a split doubleheader on Friday, with Boston claiming both. The teams will finalize the series on Sunday at Tropicana Field in Tampa.

Upcoming Forecast

• Saturday: High of 60 degrees, Low of 56 degrees, 96% chance of rain
• Sunday: High of 62 degrees, Low of 57 degrees, 99% chance of rain
• Monday: High of 60 degrees, Low of 54 degrees, 88% chance of light rain

Cubs manager Craig Counsell criticized MLB's decision to have the two teams play the doubleheader amid a tight race for seeding in the National League wild card chase.

"They never move games up and especially within a five-day window of a starting rotation," Counsell told reporters. "So we can't have somebody ready to pitch on Saturday. They just moved games up on us. I understand there's extenuating circumstances, but you just don't see that happening."

Boston has nothing to play for by this point after clinching the No. 5 seed on Wednesday thanks to its 1-0 win over the Cleveland Guardians and a Chicago White Sox loss to the Kansas City Royals.

But Boston's indifference to the outcome of the games means everything to the National League wild-card race.

The San Diego Padres have moved 1.5 games ahead of the Cubs and two games ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies for the top wild card spot. Chicago owns tiebreakers over both of those teams, so it would get the No. 4 seed and home-field advantage in the wild-card round if all three teams finish tied.

The Padres and Cubs are on their way to the postseason, but seeding is far from settled. The Arizona Diamondbacks are the only other NL team left standing at 85-74, and they're one game back of the Phillies with three left to play entering Saturday.