D-backs, Cubs game flexed to Sunday Night Baseball in tight NL Wild Card race

A busy weekend in the Valley just got a national spotlight.

The Arizona Diamondbacks game against the Chicago Cubs on Sept. 17 is being flexed to Sunday Night Baseball by ESPN. It will be the first Sunday Night Baseball game for either team this season.

The game at Chase Field was originally scheduled for 1:10 p.m. and will now start at 4 p.m.

At the time of the announcement, which came ahead of Arizona’s first pitch against the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday, the Cubs sat in the second National League Wild Card spot at 72-63. The D-backs were tied for the third wild card spot with the San Francisco Giants at 70-65.

The Cubs and D-backs have not met this season, but they have seven games against each other this month. The Diamondbacks head to Wrigley Field for four games starting Thursday, and the Cubs will be in the Valley from Sept. 15-17.

It’s not the only game taking place in the Valley that weekend: Arizona State football welcomes Fresno State on Sept. 16 to Mountain America Stadium, while the Arizona Cardinals host their home opener against the New York Giants on Sept. 17 at 1:05 p.m.

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