Ballparks emptying out and fans huddling under rain covers is the expected scene during any rain delay. Leave it to baseball fans to make it something else entirely. The “Tarps Off” trend isn’t new to MLB, teams like the Tampa Bay Rays have even marketed a section of Steinbrenner Field as “Tarps Off territory,” but Cubs fans took it to another level during Tuesday’s rain-delayed Crosstown Classic at Wrigley Field.

“Wrigley fans went tarps off as the Crosstown Classic entered a rain delay in the eighth inning,” Talking’ Baseball shared a clip of the Cubs fan enjoying the rain on Tuesday.

The drama unfolded in the eighth inning when the grounds crew rolled the tarp out ahead of an approaching storm. Heavy rain followed quickly, delaying the game for 88 minutes before it resumed just after 11:15 p.m. In between, Cubs fans made the most of it, going shirtless, twirling their shirts overhead, and leading loud chants around the ballpark as the rain came down.

What started as a viral trend during an Oklahoma State football game in October 2025 found its way into MLB when Colorado Rockies fans went shirtless in the upper decks of Coors Field to try to spark a late-game rally. Cubs fans turned it into an obvious choice during Tuesday’s delay, and with the game a Crosstown rivalry clash against the White Sox, the timing couldn’t have been better.

Fortunately for the Cubs fans, Alex Bregman ensured that their viral moment finished on a positive note. The game was paused with the score tied at 3-3. After the play resumed, Bregman laced a walk-off single to center field in the bottom of the ninth. It gave the Cubs a 4-3 win over the White Sox. In the bottom of the 9th, Carson Kelly doubled to left off Trevor Richards. Following an intentional walk to Crow-Armstrong, Bregman stepped up with two outs and lined the decisive single to center field.

This made the Cubs win against the White Sox on a walk-off run for the second consecutive night. The Cubs winning the series against their crosstown rivals and the fans embracing the rain with the “Tarps Off” trend at Wrigley Field is the best a Cubs fan could expect. Pete Crow-Armstrong has made it better.

It’s a rebirth of Pete Crow-Armstrong

Remember how PCA started the season on a slow note? He was hitting .145 with just one steal over his first 18 games.

“One of the hard things is sticking with it when you’re not getting the hits.” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said back then. “Do you feel better when you hit a bloop double or when you line out? Right? So, I think that’s the baseball question…That’s what’s hard about it sometimes…And I think he’s improving…and he’s going to continue to do that…but sticking to things, that’s important.”

Fast forward to now, and the Cubs’ center fielder has completely turned his season around. Monday night, he delivered the first walk-off home run of his career to beat the White Sox. Tuesday, he did it again in a different way, leading off the game with a home run, his 31st of the season and his sixth leadoff shot of the year, going deep in back-to-back games to open the series. Add in Michael Busch’s own first-inning homer off White Sox opener Bryan Hudson, and the Cubs had the lead before most fans had found their seats.

Crow-Armstrong has now put together a second consecutive 30-30 season, a rare enough feat that Baseball-Reference notes he’s just the second-youngest outfielder in history to pair it with 10 defensive wins above replacement. Between his glove, his legs, and now a bat that’s caught fire since August began, he’s turned himself into one of the most complete players in baseball over the course of a single summer.

Both he and Bregman delivering in the same week says plenty about where this Cubs team is right now. With the offense clicking and the bullpen holding up behind Jacob Webb’s scoreless ninth, Chicago gets a chance to complete the sweep on Wednesday, when Clay Holmes takes the mound against a White Sox team that still hasn’t named its starter for the finale.