The Boston Red Sox arrived at Citi Field at 5:05 p.m. ET on Friday after nearly 24 hours stranded in Chicago, forcing a 35-minute delay to the series opener against the New York Mets. First pitch was pushed to 7:50 p.m. following a pair of mechanical failures on the team charter. The Red Sox had beaten the White Sox 2-1 Thursday for their sixth straight win but couldn't depart when the aircraft tug malfunctioned, leaving them on the tarmac past midnight before relocating to hotels. A second issue Friday morning — faulty switches or light bulbs in the cockpit — delayed takeoff until 3 p.m.

Players passed the time with cards, music, and doughnuts; Payton Tolle estimated he ate five. Ceddanne Rafaela, named to the AL All-Star roster via announcement over the plane's PA by interim manager Chad Tracy, urged teammates to maintain focus. The flight landed at La Guardia around 4:30 p.m., and the short drive to the ballpark was smooth.

This marked the second travel disruption in two weeks. A June 24 flight from Denver turned around mid-air, delaying their return until dawn, yet the Red Sox responded by beating the Yankees 6-3 and launching an 11-2 surge. Sonny Gray still took the mound as scheduled, with Garrett Whitlock calling it a "show and go" mentality.