MLB Advances Start Times for ALCS Game 3 and NLCS Game 4 Due to Weather Concerns
Major League Baseball moved the start of Thursday's American League Championship Series game in Cleveland to 1 p.m. ET and advanced the National League Championship Series game in Los Angeles to 8 p.m. ET to avoid forecasted rain.
Major League Baseball announced that Game 3 of the American League Championship Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Guardians will begin at 1 p.m. ET on Thursday, instead of the previously scheduled 6 p.m. ET start. The league said the change is “based on forecasted rain on Thursday night in Cleveland” and is intended to keep the series on schedule.
In a separate adjustment, the National League Championship Series Game 4 featuring the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers was moved up to an 8 p.m. ET kickoff, aligning with the earlier time slot now available after the ALCS shift. The game will be played at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
Weather forecasts for the Cleveland area on Thursday night indicate rain and scattered thunderstorms, prompting MLB to act proactively to avoid potential interruptions in the later innings. Forecasts for Friday also show rain throughout the day, with lighter conditions expected in the evening, which could affect the scheduling of subsequent playoff games.