MLB Opening Day weather updates: Live forecasts, news on rain delays & postponements for all 15 baseball games | Sporting News (2024)

FAQs

What weather causes baseball games to be Cancelled? ›

Baseball games are played even if there is light to moderate rain. However, if the rain becomes heavy or if standing water develops on the field, umpires will call for a delay of play.

Generally, Major League Baseball (MLB) teams will continue to play in light to moderate rain but will suspend play if it is raining heavily or if there is standing water on the field. Games can also be delayed or canceled for other forms of inclement weather, or if the field is found to be unfit for play.

RAINOUT TICKET POLICY

No refunds will be given.

However, if the weather conditions do not improve after the 30-minute delay, the umpires can decide to call the game. If the game is called before it becomes an official game (five innings for a game that has not started), it will be considered a "no game" and will be rescheduled to a later date.

This means MLB games are more likely to experience what is known as a rainout. When a rainout occurs the affected game can either be delayed/postponed, canceled, or rescheduled. If the event is postponed or delayed due to weather, the game is usually played later that same day, once the weather clears.

And indeed, pitchers walk significantly more batters and strike out fewer in the rain. With all of those numbers, it shouldn't be surprising that teams have historically scored 3.6 percent more runs in games with rain than in those without any precipitation.

1) The longest rain delay in Major League Baseball history was 7 hours and 23 minutes, which occurred on August 12, 1990 in Chicago between the Texas Rangers and Chicago White Sox. The game was ultimately postponed.

No particular amount. It's when the crew chief deems the field is too wet, unsafe and unplayable and they'll stop the game. When it starts to affect play of game and the quality of the field. No one can play good enough on mud and no one can throw a wet baseball effectively.

Inclement weather

In either case, no statistics are counted until the game becomes official. Since most professional baseball games are nine innings long, the fifth inning is used as the threshold for an official game.

If a game does not take place due to a team being eliminated or a series ending, you will receive a full refund of your purchase. For example, if you purchased World Series tickets for the New York Yankees and they don't reach the World Series, you will receive a full refund.

Who wins if a baseball game gets rained out? ›

If a regulation game is terminated early due to weather, the results are considered final if the home team is leading.

Depending on the home team/league policy and the rescheduling of the game, the rain check may admit the ticket holder to watch the rained out game or the continuation of a suspended game only on the rescheduled date, or it may allow the ticket holder to exchange the tickets for tickets of equal value to another game ...

4-2-2 The game ends when the team behind in score has completed its turn at bat in the seventh inning, or any inning thereafter if extra innings are necessary. If the home team scores a go-ahead run in the bottom of the seventh inning, or in any extra inning, the game is terminated at that point.

The ceremonial first pitch is a longstanding ritual of baseball in which a guest of honor throws a ball to mark the end of pregame festivities and the start of the game.

The most frequent cause of a suspended game is when a regulation game is terminated due to weather, and the game is either tied or in the midst of an inning in which the visiting team has taken the lead.

The number of MLB games that are shortened or postponed due to weather can vary widely from year to year and is influenced by factors such as regional weather patterns and scheduling. However, on average, it's estimated that around 2-3% of MLB games in a 162-game season are postponed or shortened due to weather.

If a regulation game is terminated early due to weather, the results are considered final if the home team is leading. If the home team is trailing, the results are considered final if the game is not in the midst of an inning when the visiting team has taken the lead.

Air temperature, density and humidity are just a few factors among many ways weather can affect the game. Whether it's a cloudy or sunny sky overhead can also have an impact. If there are cloudy skies, it can affect how an outfielder can see the ball off the bat.