Hazardous air quality postponed Friday night’s Pirates-Guardians game at Progressive Field in Cleveland. Officials announced the decision at 4:45 p.m. ET, more than two hours before the scheduled first pitch.
Canadian and northern Minnesota wildfire smoke had pushed Cleveland’s air-quality index to 203. That reading falls within the “very unhealthy” range and can threaten everyone exposed outdoors. Cleveland had experienced smoky skies and reduced visibility for two days.
MLB moved the postponed game into a split doubleheader Saturday. The makeup game begins at 1:10 p.m. ET, with the second game starting at 7:10 p.m. The original Saturday game had been scheduled for 4:10 p.m. Progressive Field will clear fans between games.
Gavin Williams had been scheduled to start for Cleveland against Pittsburgh right-hander Jared Jones. Both pitchers could move into Saturday’s doubleheader, although neither club immediately announced its revised rotation.
Friday’s betting markets will close, while settlement rules depend on each sportsbook’s postponement policy. Daily fantasy players must remove Pirates and Guardians from Friday-only contests before lineup lock. Saturday’s two-game schedule will create separate markets once pitching assignments become official.
