NEW YORK — The St. Louis Cardinals have replaced the New York Yankees as the opponent for the Chicago White Sox in the Field of Dreams game on Aug. 13 at Dyersville, Iowa.
The schedule change caused by the new coronavirus pandemic meant the White Sox no longer play the Yankees this season. The new opponent, first reported by The Des Moines Register, was confirmed to The Associated Press by a person familiar with the arrangements who spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the matchup has not been announced.
Major League Baseball hopes to announce its new schedule next week. Each team will play 60 games, 40 against division rivals and 20 against teams in the corresponding regional division in the other league.
“We hope to have the option to play,” MLB said in a statement. “Construction is continuing and we are following all CDC and state protocols regarding recommended safety practices, including social distancing, washing hands, and temperature checks before arriving to the site."
It remains unclear whether fans would be allowed at the game, which is to be televised nationally by Fox.
"We are monitoring ongoing events and plan to remain as flexible as these circumstances demand,” MLB said.
A temporary 8,000-seat stadium is nearing completion at the site, about 200 miles west of Chicago, adjacent to where the movie was filmed on a diamond in a cornfield. This would be the first major league game played in Iowa.
The movie, released in 1989, starred Kevin Costner, Amy Madigan, James Earl Jones, Burt Lancaster and Ray Liotta.
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Ronald Blum, The Associated Press
