Rain and thunderstorms are already moving into the Cincinnati area Monday evening, delaying the start of the Cleveland Guardians‘ series opener against the Reds at Great American Ball Park, a game televised nationally and exclusively by ESPN.
The Reds announced the delay on social media.
“Tonight’s Reds-Guardians game will start in a delay,” the team posted. “We will provide more information as it becomes available.”
As of 7:30 p.m. ET, 20 minutes after the previously scheduled first pitch, no updated start time had been announced. As of five minutes later, rain had not yet started to fall, but was forecast to start between 7 p.m.and 8 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
“According to NOAA, rain was scheduled to reach the area around 7:15 p.m,” reported Pat Brennan of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
“I don’t know if they are able to wait this out or not,” wrote sports meteorologist Kevin Roth on social media. “Definitely some legit PPD risk here.” PPD indicates a postponement.
AccuWeather showed thunderstorms until about 10 p.m., along with a Severe Thunderstorm Watch through midnight.
First pitch was set for 7:10 p.m. ET, and the heaviest weather wasn’t expected to arrive until after 5 p.m., leaving a narrow window that could shift with little warning.
Cleveland (54-53) brings a five-game losing streak into the matchup. Cincinnati sits at 49-55. The game is airing nationally on ESPN, with CLEG carrying the regional broadcast, and it opens a three-game set at the ballpark on the Ohio River.
| Cincinnati Reds | ||||
| Record: 49-55 | ||||
| SP: Chase Burns (RHP) | 12-1 | 2.42 ERA | ||||
| # | Player | Pos | AVG | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elly De La Cruz | SS | .278 | .506 |
| 2 | Sal Stewart | 1B | .253 | .470 |
| 3 | JJ Bleday | RF | .234 | .469 |
| 4 | Eugenio Suárez | 3B | .207 | .402 |
| 5 | Nathaniel Lowe | DH | .256 | .475 |
| 6 | Tyler Stephenson | C | .244 | .392 |
| 7 | Dane Myers | CF | .257 | .371 |
| 8 | Edwin Arroyo | 2B | .244 | .285 |
| 9 | TJ Friedl | LF | .171 | .256 |
Guardians, Reds Face Severe Storm at Great American
Monday carries a First Alert Weather Day designation in Cincinnati, with highs near 90 degrees and a heat index around 100 pushing the afternoon into dangerous territory before the sky even turns. Meteorologist Catherine Bodak said rain and thunderstorms will sweep through after 5 p.m., with some storms expected to reach severe limits.
Damaging wind gusts capable of causing power outages are the primary concern, “with large hail and heavy downpours” also a threat with any storms that develop, according to Bodak’s forecast at FOX19.
That puts the arrival of the worst weather roughly two hours ahead of first pitch, with the potential to linger well past it. Storms are expected to continue into Tuesday morning, though the severe threat eases overnight compared to Monday evening. Winds at game time are expected to run light, around 5 to 7 mph out of the south or southwest, according to weather notes at RotoWire.
Tuesday brings a cooldown, with highs in the mid-80s and a lower rain chance, before heat and humidity build back later in the week. A First Alert Weather Day is already on the board again for Saturday, when scattered storms are possible for the opening weekend of August.
| Cleveland Guardians | ||||
| Record: 54-53 | ||||
| SP: Slade Cecconi (RHP) | 4-7 | 4.60 ERA | ||||
| # | Player | Pos | AVG | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Steven Kwan | LF | .248 | .308 |
| 2 | José Ramírez | DH | .236 | .405 |
| 3 | Chase DeLauter | RF | .282 | .447 |
| 4 | Travis Bazzana | 2B | .239 | .400 |
| 5 | Brayan Rocchio | SS | .268 | .398 |
| 6 | Kyle Manzardo | 1B | .209 | .358 |
| 7 | Gabriel Arias | 3B | .252 | .405 |
| 8 | Patrick Bailey | C | .200 | .310 |
| 9 | Petey Halpin | CF | .191 | .315 |
Chase Burns, Slade Cecconi Set to Take Mound
Cincinnati has handed the ball to right-hander Chase Burns, the 2024 No. 2 overall draft pick, who brings a 12-1 record and a 2.42 ERA into the start. Cleveland counters with right-hander Slade Cecconi, sitting at 4-7 with a 4.60 ERA, according to the pitching matchup listed at MLB.com.
A postponement would push both starters back a day. The planned rotation sequence for Tuesday and Wednesday would cascade a day later across both staffs, and a makeup contest would most likely be added as part of a doubleheader.
A twin bill would strain bullpens on both sides, and neither team currently has much workload to spare.
Cleveland sits second in the American League Central at 54-53 and is trying to snap its skid. Extra rest from a rainout could help arms that have been overtaxed during the losing stretch, though a compressed doubleheader schedule risks adding fatigue at the wrong moment for a team chasing a turnaround.
Cincinnati sits fifth in the National League Central and six games below .500 at 49-55, meaning the standings stakes of any delay are limited for the hosts. A postponement would mostly threaten momentum from recent games rather than reshape the club’s season outlook at this point in the summer.
Why is the Guardians-Reds Game Delayed Today? When Will it Start?