The New York Yankees began their home stretch this week with the series against the Chicago White Sox. The hosts lost the series opener by 2-3 as their offense failed to step up. Moreover, Clarke Schmidt‘s late explosion earned the visitors a crucial one-run lead. With that, the White Sox are one up in the three-game series.
However, the game stayed under the radar for various reasons. During the matchup, the entire Yankee stadium was covered under a thick dark smog which caused breathing issues to multiple spectators in the crowd. However, MLB authorities refrained from intervention and allowed the game to resume. However, as the game progressed, the air quality index kept on plunging. At last, the league had to intervene, considering the alarming situation, and put the series on hold.
MLB Postpones Yankees-White Sox Game In The Wake Of Canadian Wildfires
Last week, Canadian authorities reported a large-scale wildfire in the Quebec province of the country. The wildfire was reportedly triggered due to extreme heat conditions. It kept on spreading and has apparently charred more than 9 million acres of forest land up until now. The smoke of these fires traveled all the way across the border to its neighboring country, the USA. Many cities in the USA, including New York, have been covered in a large thick blanket of smog which has reduced the air quality index. In New York City, it has dipped into the hazardous category, and authorities have advised citizens to stay indoors and wear masks while stepping out.
No baseball tonight in the Bronx due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. pic.twitter.com/btU6xUrs13
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) June 7, 2023
The alarming weather condition impacted MLB. Prior to the commencement of the Yankees vs. White Sox game, the entire Yankee stadium was covered in an orange haze, and the scenes around looked straight from the movies. The event was something the city had never witnessed before. Further, MLB conducted an emergency meeting, and after assessing the ground situation, they decided to postpone two games, the Yankees vs. White Sox and Phillies Vs. Tigers. The Yankees game was postponed to Thursday, and it will be a doubleheader as the team will play the remaining matches of the series back to back on the same day. However, uncertainty still looms as the smog is likely to hover around for a few days. Hence, another weather check will take place on Thursday to determine if the condition is favorable for a game of baseball.
Aaron Boone, Carlos Rodon Briefs On Ground Situation At The Yankee Stadium
The New York Yankees arrived for their matchup against the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday. However, they met with a dark orange haze as air quality around the stadium dipped. Aaron Boone, the manager, stepped out for a few minutes and remained amazed by the haze. Hence, eyeing the conditions, he canceled the batting practice. Yet, the injured pitcher, Carlos Rodon, stepped out for his live session.
However, the pitcher had to cut short his session as he could not see where his pitches landed. Further, the Yankees skipper reckoned that he had read reports which claimed the smoke to get cleared by early morning on Thursday. Hence, he is positive that the games will go on as per the new schedule.