Why is the Astros-Yankees Game Delayed Today? When Will it Start?

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Why is the Astros-Yankees game delayed today? Here’s the reason for the delay and the latest update on when the game is expected to start.

The Bronx is bracing for a soaked ballgame. After rain suspended play in the U.S. Open across town in Queens, showers halted Thursday’s Astros-Yankees rubber match at Yankee Stadium, with first pitch originally set for 7:05 p.m. ET.

New York enters the night holding down a wild card cushion it can’t afford to squander, and any lost innings threaten to complicate an already strained pitching staff heading into the stretch run.

But the delay looks to be a quick one, at least that’s what the Yankeespredict. At 6:23 p.m. theteam posted, “Please be advised, tonight’s first pitch will be at 7:15 p.m.”

That would be a delay of only 10 minutes, if the Yankees’ announced new start time holds. At about 6:30 p.m., grounds crews removed the tarp from the infield, in what could only be seen as a positive sign for the 7:15 p.m. first pitch time.

And indeed, Cole did throw the first pitch at 7:15 p.m., according to MLB.com.

Sports meteorologist Kevin Roth said on his social media account that the rapidly clearing skies were “As good of an outcome as you could’ve hoped for in both NY games. (Yankees and Mets, both at home.) I expect they both play clean.”

Forecasters had flagged the danger well before first pitch. A 51% chance of rain accompanied the 7:05 p.m. window at Yankee Stadium, according to RotoWire, with 10 mph winds blowing right to left and temperatures near 77 degrees.

A Flood Watch remains in effect for the Bronx through 11 p.m., with daytime showers and thunderstorms carrying a 70% chance before transitioning to roughly 40% overnight. Dewpoints near 68 degrees kept the atmosphere primed for heavy downpours if storms redeveloped near first pitch.

Gerrit Cole’s Start Caught in the Storm

The National Weather Service warned some storms could turn severe through the evening, with a 60% chance of precipitation and rainfall totals up to three-quarters of an inch possible in the Bronx.

Right-hander Gerrit Cole was lined up to start for New York, working off a strong outing last time out. Cole allowed one earned run on four hits over six innings against Baltimore, pushing his season ERA down to 3.11 with a 1.068 WHIP, according to a Bleacher Nation report. A long delay risks disrupting his rhythm. A stoppage mid-game usually ends a starter’s night altogether.

What’s At Stake for Both Rotations

New York carries a 75-57 record into the series finale, sitting comfortably in the American League’s wild card standings picture But the Yankees’ rotation is hurting. Max Fried, Clarke Schmidt and Ryan Weathers are all sidelined with elbow or forearm injuries, and high-leverage reliever Fernando Cruz remains out as well and may need Tommy John surgery, leaving the Yankees with little margin if a delay forces excess bullpen innings tonight.

Houston, at 66-67, brings right-hander Hayden Wesneski to the mound, set to start for the Astros in his sixth outing of the season, having thrown five scoreless innings in his last appearance against the Athletics. Wesneski carries a 4.23 ERA and 22 strikeouts across 27 2/3 innings on the year.

The Astros are locked in a tight battle atop the American League West, sitting a half-game up on Texas, meaning every game against the Yankees is make-or-break for a club that can’t afford a lost outing from its rotation. A delay tonight would ripple into Houston’s next series against the Mets.

New York, meanwhile, has won 11 of its last 17 games and owns the best team ERA in the majors at roughly 3.23. The Yankees also open a home series against Boston on Friday, with a doubleheader already on the schedule from an earlier rainout, meaning any further disruption tonight compounds a workload problem that’s been building for weeks.

A pure rain delay would keep Thursday’s game on the books for the same calendar day, with tickets remaining valid once play resumes. A postponement is a different animal entirely, pushing the contest to a makeup date that could mean a doubleheader or an extra grind on both bullpens already feeling the innings pile up in late August.

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