2020 MLB London series cancelled

Paul Goldschmidt (Google Images)

The two game series between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals that was to be played at London Stadium in England on June 13 and 14 has now been cancelled because of the coronavirus. According to Ashley Cole of KSDK, the Cardinals were scheduled to be the home team for both games of the two game set.

This was to be the second straight year that Major League Baseball scheduled regular season games in London. Last year the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox in both games of the series. The Yankees outslugged the Red Sox 17-13 in the first game and 12-8 in the second game.

In the first game played in London on June 29, 2019, Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu of Visalia, California led the Yankees with five runs batted in and collected four hits in six at bats. Meanwhile, Yankees first baseman Luke Voit of Wildwood, Missouri went four for four at the plate with three doubles. In the first inning alone there were 12 runs as each team scored six times.

In the second game played in London on June 30, 2019, the Yankees scored nine runs in the seventh inning. Once again LeMahieu was a difference maker as he had three hits in six at bats.

The games between the Cardinals and Cubs were to be two interesting National League Central Division battles between two teams with a rich rivalry themselves. The two teams have played 2439 games against each other with the Cubs winning 1239 games and the Cardinals winning 1181 games. The Cardinals are the defending National League Central Division champions. They had a record of 91 wins and 71 losses in 2019.

The Cardinals are led by first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, who led the team in 2019 with 155 hits, 34 home runs and 97 runs batted in. The Cubs meanwhile saw Kyle Schwarber deliver consistent power in 2019 as he had a team high 38 home runs to go along with 92 runs batted in.