CLEVELAND — Major League Baseball senior vice president Peter Woodfork said the league is prepared to have the Cubs and Indians play Game 2 of the World Series through light rain.
“If it’s light, and we don’t think it’s going to get any heavier, I think we’d be apt to play in that,” Woodfork said a couple of hours before the scheduled 6:08 p.m. (CST) start — a time already moved up an hour in anticipation of wet weather. “The field’s in good condition. The tarp’s been on. The outfield can take a lot of water.”
The Progressive Field grounds crew removed the tarp at 5:13 (CST), about an hour before the scheduled first pitch.
It’s also cold and breezy, with temperatures in the mid-40s, along the shore of Lake Erie, so fans were being advised to bundle up. Regular-season games can be shortened by weather but a 2009 rule change mandates that all postseason games must go the full nine innings — and at the same ballpark.
Woodfork and Commissioner Rob Manfred said they would assess the situation about an hour before the game to let the managers know whether to have their pitchers, Jake Arrieta for the Cubs and Trevor Bauer for the Indians, start to warm up.
“For us, it’s what we do,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. “The guys are ready to play. The worst part would be to start a game and have it stop and then you lose your pitcher early. Those are the things you want to avoid.
“But from what I’ve heard, I think we’re going to be okay.”
Light rain and spotty showers are expected, especially around the 8 p.m. (CST) hour for an extended period.
“Right now we have a light rain, light drizzle, spitting out probably until about 10,” Woodfork said. “That being said, it’s probably come a little heavier than we expected already. So, we’re confident, but things can change, and we’ll have to read and adjust.”
Thursday is a scheduled off day. Game 3 is set for Friday at Wrigley Field.
Here’s how the weather looks, according to Weather.com (times are Eastern):
