Friday’s series opener between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field was postponed due to poor air quality from Canadian wildfires. The game will be made up as part of a split doubleheader on Saturday.
The postponement was announced 2 1/2 hours before first pitch on Friday, July 17. Smoke from the wildfires blanketed Northeast Ohio, pushing the Air Quality Index to 211 in Cleveland by 5 p.m. ET.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said the decision prioritized safety for players and fans. “We want to be safe for our players. We want to make sure that it's not too smoky and obviously for the fans as well,” he said.
The makeup doubleheader is scheduled for Saturday with first pitch at 1:10 p.m. ET and the second game at 7:10 p.m. ET. Gavin Williams will start the opener for Cleveland, while Jared Jones takes the mound for Pittsburgh.
The Guardians entered the second half at 51-46 and tied for first in the AL Central. The Pirates stood at 50-47, two games back of the NL’s third wild-card spot.
