2014 MLB playoffs rain delay rules
All of these teams are in traditional stadiums without roofs, so what happens if it rains?
The schedules for both the ALCS and the NLCS have been set, but Mother Nature doesn’t always agree with schedules. What happens to these two series if rain interferes and a game is canceled? After all, none of the four home parks have domes or roofs to protect the field and players from the elements. Luckily, MLB has built days off into both the ALCS and the NLCS and also staggered the two, so things shouldn’t go off the rails for fans attending the games or watching at home.
These are the start times and scheduled days for the ALCS:
Game 1: Friday, Oct. 10, 8:07 p.m. at Camden Yards
Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 11, 4:07 p.m. at Camden Yards
Game 3: Monday, Oct. 13, 8:07 p.m. at Kauffman Stadium
Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 14, 8:07 p.m. at Kauffman Stadium
Game 5*: Wednesday, Oct. 15, 4:07 p.m. at Kauffman Stadium
Game 6*: Friday, Oct. 17, 8:07 p.m. at Camden Yards
Game 7*: Saturday, Oct. 18, 8:07 p.m. at Camden Yards
*if necessary
Notice the days off on Oct. 12 and Oct. 16? Games could end up played on those days if there is a rainout on one of the preceding days. The Orioles and Royals would lose their day off meant for traveling and a workout, but it would keep things on schedule. In 2012, this happened with the Yankees and the Tigers: Game 4 was rained out, so it was played the next day on what had originally been a scheduled day off.
The same rules apply to the NLCS, which begins a day later:
Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 11, 8:07 p.m. ET at St. Louis (FOX)
Game 2: Sunday, Oct. 12, 8:07 p.m. at St. Louis (Fox Sports 1)
Game 3: Tuesday, Oct. 14, 4:07 p.m. at San Francisco (Fox Sports 1)
Game 4: Wednesday, Oct. 15, 8:07 p.m. at San Francisco (Fox Sports 1)
Game 5*: Thursday, Oct. 16, 8:07 p.m. at San Francisco (Fox Sports 1)
Game 6*: Saturday, Oct. 18, 4:07 p.m. at St. Louis (FOX)^
Game 7*: Sunday, Oct. 19, 7:37 p.m. at St. Louis (Fox Sports 1)
*if necessary
The 13th and 17th are the scheduled days off here that could end up with games should there be rain. If there is rain in one series, it could mess up -- albeit briefly -- MLB’s plan for there to be at least one game per day from here until we know who is in the World Series, but that’s a secondary concern to getting the games in when the weather allows.
If there are rainouts on consecutive days, it will end up pushing the rest of the schedule back -- at least until there is another travel day to take advantage of -- because doubleheaders are not a solution in the postseason as they are in the regular season. Shuffling their preset schedule around is a problem MLB will deal with if and when it has to. You can only build in so many safety nets before you’re just being paranoid.
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