LONDON -- Every field presents unique challenges, from Fenway Park's triangle, to the Crawford Boxes cutout in left-center field in Houston, to the unpredictable bounces created by the brick in San Francisco, to the cozy 364-foot power alley in Camden Yards. London Stadium is no different, and on Sunday, in the second game played between the Red Sox and Yankees, the center fielders will be under pressure because of the field layout.
Most parks are aligned so that the setting sun doesn't shine directly into the eyes of the outfielders, with some exceptions. Right field can be a tough sun field at the end of the day at Fenway Park, and on some days, left field is a challenge in San Francisco. But London Stadium wasn't planned to account for baseball, and at this time of year, the sun slowly descends in the sky almost directly behind home plate. It's as if a flashlight with 174 quadrillion watts is being aimed at the center fielders in mid-to-late afternoon.
During the Red Sox batting practice here Friday, even those with sunglasses staggered underneath some of the flies hit to straightaway center field, as they tried tracking balls seemingly swallowed by a sun that descends across the sky directly behind home plate. Sunday's game started at 3 p.m. local time, and Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. compared the intensity of the glare in that time of day to what outfielders must deal with on high flies in Oakland. Even during Saturday's game, which started at 6 p.m. local time, Bradley sometimes struggled to track the ball. Yankees center fielder Aaron Hicks said he heard about the midafternoon sun, and as he looked around in his locker in the temporary Yankees clubhouse here, he said he will be sure to remember his sunglasses for Sunday's game.
The offenses owned Saturday evening's game, with 30 runs, and while the conditions are expected to be much cooler on Sunday, the hitters will have an ally in the sky when the ball is hit in the air.