White Sox-Yankees game postponed because of smoke from wildfires

NEW YORK — The White Sox’ four-game winning streak, their longest of the season, has been put on hold.

By smoky skies, of all things.

The team’s scheduled game against the Yankees on Wednesday was postponed because of smoky conditions around Yankee Stadium. The game is scheduled to be played as part of a doubleheader Thursday.

The Tigers’ game in Philadelphia also was called off. The postponements were determined after conversations with medical and weather experts and all of the affected teams regarding clearly hazardous air-quality conditions in both cities, MLB said in a statement.

Clouds of smoke wafting south from Canadian wildfires surrounded the stadium with a haze during the Sox’ 3-2 win against the Yankees on Tuesday night. Conditions worsened around the city and beyond by Wednesday afternoon.

Sox first baseman Andrew Vaughn said he woke up Wednesday morning with a cough and some discomfort in his chest, although both issues were minor.

“Nothing too terrible,” said Vaughn, a Cal grad who had experienced effects from wildfire smoke during his college days. “Some of those [pop-ups Tuesday] went up, and you kind of lose them for a second. It got a little hazy, and you kind of lose them in the lights. It was definitely tough to see.”

Manager Pedro Grifol said left fielder Andrew Benintendi struggled to pick up a fly ball in the first inning Tuesday. On Wednesday, when Grifol got to the stadium, “it got a little concerning out there for us. Not that they were going to let us take [batting practice], but we canceled on our own. We weren’t going to go out there. A couple of guys, myself, my throat started hurting a little bit. Maybe it’s mental, maybe it’s not. Still, they did the right thing.”

Around the ballpark and throughout the city, the skies were dark, and the heavy air smelled of smoke.

On the ground in Manhattan at 2 p.m., the appearance was more like dusk or dawn, with an orange tint in the atmosphere, but it was worse at the ballpark.

“Obviously, can’t be too good,” the Sox’ Romy Gonzalez said. “It felt a little different today.”

The Yankees also canceled batting practice, as expected, and had planned to do pregame work inside.

“I walked out [to the field], and you see the orange coming through the doors,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, “and then you walk out and you’re like, ‘Whoa.’ ’’

The conditions seemed to improve somewhat about the time the game was called at 3:30 p.m. Some Sox players were on the field playing catch and doing light work.

For the Sox, who have struggled this season but have won five of six games and were off Monday, a day off wasn’t exactly needed.

“We are well-rested,” Grifol said. “We have another [day off] coming on Monday. I was always taught to control what you can control and don’t worry about what you can’t control. We have to get ready to play [Thursday].’’

“We’re 1-0 in the series,” Vaughn said. “Got the early win, and it would have been good to come back and play today.”

A National Women’s Soccer League game in New Jersey and an indoor WNBA game set for Brooklyn also were called off.

It’s not the first time the Sox have had a road game postponed for reasons other than inclement weather.

The team was in New York to play the Yankees on Sept. 11, 2001. And in April 2015, a scheduled game at the Orioles was called off after players had arrived at Camden Yards because of civil unrest in Baltimore following the death of Freddie Gray.