ST. LOUIS -- The cancellations and postponements of Major League Baseball's season has now reached the Cardinals' series against the Cubs in London this summer.
The Mitel & MLB Present London Series has been canceled due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, MLB announced Wednesday morning. The Cardinals and Cubs were scheduled to play at London Stadium on June 13-14. The London Series website states that the series will not take place at any time this season.
The series had been in jeopardy since concerns about international travel and the spread of COVID-19 in Europe began to take shape. In early March, the Cardinals had hoped MLB would wait on a decision until closer to the scheduled date of the series. But when the coronavirus began its rapid spread through the United States, MLB canceled Spring Training and delayed the start of the regular season, and the Cardinals' focus shifted toward larger issues. It is still unknown when the season will begin.
The Cardinals have been looking for ways to broaden their international presence in recent years, and the visit to London would have been their second international series in as many years. The Cards played the Reds in Monterrey, Mexico, in 2019. The Cardinals and Cubs were going to be the second set of teams to play at London Stadium after the Yankees and Red Sox had played two regular-season games there last year.
If the two games planned for London are played this season, the Cardinals -- who were to be the home team in London -- would likely host the Cubs at Busch Stadium.
MLB previously canceled two other international baseball events that were scheduled for the 2020 season -- the Mexico City Series between the Padres and D-backs and the Puerto Rico Series between the Mets and Marlins. Both of those series were scheduled for April. Those games were rescheduled to be played in the home teams' cities.
All tickets purchased through London Stadium or Ticketmaster will be refunded automatically in full, including service charges.