PHILADELPHIA — Rainouts are common occurrences, but air quality postponements are uncommon happenings.
Poor air quality from wildfires in northern Canada postponed Wednesday’s game, scheduled to start at 6:05 p.m., between the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.
The finale of the three-game series is now scheduled for 6:05 p.m. Thursday.
Left-hander Tyler Holton will start Thursday’s game for the Tigers, replacing right-hander Reese Olson (who was supposed to start Wednesday), while right-hander Zack Wheeler will start for the Phillies.
It’s unclear why the Tigers opted to start a reliever.
Major League Baseball also postponed Wednesday’s game between the New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium. The decision to postpone both games, according to the league, was made following conversations with medical experts, weather experts and all four teams.
There was a meeting between MLB and the teams at 4 p.m.
“I know they were getting together to meet again,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters in New York. “It was business as usual for me coming in. I got in around 12, 12:30 and didn’t really think too much of it. I walked outside around 2 o’clock and was like, ‘Woah.’ If my reaction was similar to Major League Baseball and the world’s reaction, I think circumstances changed and it became apparent.”
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch was not available to discuss the postponement. He canceled his 4:30 p.m. media availability after MLB announced its decision to postpone the game at 4:28 p.m.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold.