Red Sox Plan to Use Historic Triple-A Stadium in Pawtucket to Help With Spring Training
By Max Smith
Everyone will need to get creative in order for MLB to return in late July. Teams will need as much help as they can get in order for their players to be ready for games that matter on July 24, especially with the overload of restrictions that come with a pandemic.
And the entire region of New England will have to pitch in.
That's why the Red Sox will use legendary McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket to host their "taxi squad" for the 2020 season, giving the historic stadium one last use.
McCoy Stadium won't sit empty this summer, the Red Sox say they will host Boston's so call "taxi squad" in Pawtucket for training. So, the 30 players of the 60 that aren't on the active roster.
— Yianni Kourakis (@YianniKourakis) June 25, 2020
Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom on the details:#RedSox #PawSox @wpri12 pic.twitter.com/vAU5oRnbas
Players that aren't on the 60-man active roster will practice in Pawtucket in preparation for the shortened season.
2020 was supposed to be the final season McCoy Stadium would host PawSox games, as the organization is set to move to Worcester, Massachusetts in 2021. The PawSox won't have a proper sendoff, with minor league baseball likely to be canceled.
They have played at McCoy since 1970, which would have made the 2020 season their 50th and final anniversary at the venue. The stadium was built in 1946, making it the oldest Triple-A stadium in use.
Went down to check out the ballpark last night #PathtoPolarPark pic.twitter.com/e9kzILTxBb
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) June 25, 2020
In 2021, the PawSox will become the WooSox when they move to Worcester. They will play in Polar Park, a brand new stadium that will fit up to 10,000 fans.
Until then, however, Red Sox greats will likely get one last unexpected chance to say goodbye to McCoy.