Why is the Mets-White Sox Game Delayed Today? When Will it Start?

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The Mets-White Sox game has been delayed today. Here’s why the game was halted and the latest information on when play could begin.

Rain delayed the New York Mets-Chicago White Sox series opener at Rate Field, as severe storms tied to a cold front rolled into Chicago on Friday afternoon.

The White Sox announced the delay at 6:06 p.m. CT, as well as a projected restart time.

“Due to an approaching wave of rain, the start of tonight’s game is being delayed until 7:00 PM,” the White Sox posted. That start time would be 8 p.m. ET, if the weather actually clears by then.

According to the WindyCity Weather and News social media account, there was a “severe thunderstorm watch til 10PM for all of the Chicago metro area.” If that forecast proved accurate, a 7 p.m. CT start time appeared to be in doubt.

Anthony DiComo of MLB.com also confirmed that the delay was due to “approaching” rain. If in fact the game hets underway at 8 p.m., that means a delay of about 20 minutes following the scheduled 7:40 p.m. CT start time.

In Sterling, Illinois, about 120 miles west of Chicago, threats of a tornado were reported by Chicago & Midwest Storm Chasers.

“With it being Elvis Night at Rate Field, usually the game is opened by a cadre of people landing in the outfield by parachute to open the festivities, which is still expected to take place at some point,” James Fegan of the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Friday’s series opener carries the highest weather risk of any game on the day’s 15-game MLB slate, according to DraftKings Network. A cold front pushing east brought roughly a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms into the Chicago area before 1 a.m. ET, with forecasters placing parts of northern and central Illinois under a risk for severe weather. Damaging wind, large hail and a brief tornado threat were all part of that outlook.

Mets, White Sox Battle Storm Delay at Rate Field

West winds around 10 mph, gusting to 15, and temperatures near 75 degrees accompanied the system as it approached Rate Field. Storms were expected to build west of the city between 6 and 7 p.m. local time, with the highest probability of activity settling over Chicago’s South Side between 7:30 and 9 p.m., directly on top of the scheduled first pitch. Forecasters projected the front would clear the area by roughly 9:30 or 10 p.m., improving conditions behind it.

That timeline puts the bulk of the threat squarely inside the first few innings, raising the odds of an in-game stoppage rather than a delay before the gates even open. A full postponement was not the expectation. The more likely outcome, based on the forecast, has the tarp coming off and the game resuming later the same night once the worst of the activity clears the ballpark.

What the Storm Delay Means for Sean Burke, Sean Manaea

Sean Burke carried a first-place club to the mound in Friday’s series opener matchup, entering at 7-6 with a 3.15 ERA. Any delay complicates his warmup routine more than it does an everyday player’s. Chicago’s rotation has helped keep the White Sox atop the American League Central standings at 66-61, a 3 1/2-game cushion over Minnesota entering the weekend.

Manaea, working off a 4-5 record and 4.22 ERA, is trying to add value to a Mets club playing out the string. New York sits fifth in the National League East at 58-70, 17 games back, though the club has won seven of its last 10. A pitcher who warms up and then sits through a lengthy delay often faces an early hook once play resumes, a wrinkle that could tax both bullpens depending on how long Rate Field stays shut down.

A postponement would wipe out the date entirely and push the game to a later makeup, possibly as part of a doubleheader the next time the two clubs meet. Friday’s forecast pointed toward the latter, not the former, barring a shift in the storm’s track.

Friday’s game also opens a three-game series and marks the two clubs’ first meeting of the season, adding scheduling stakes to the weather questions. A postponement would squeeze an already tight window to finish the series, pressuring both front offices to find a makeup date.

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