Rain Threatening To Postpone Red Sox-Yankees Opening Day In New York
BOSTON (CBS) -- Baseball-wise, Red Sox fans and Yankees fans don't have much in common, except for this: They've all been waiting impatiently for the 2022 baseball season to begin. Unfortunately, they also may have to wait a little longer, based on the promises being made by Mother Nature.
The two rivals are scheduled to begin their season at 1:05 p.m. on Thursday in the Bronx. The current forecast, however, calls for a whole lot of rain this week, thus putting that game in peril.
As of Tuesday morning, the Accuweather forecast calls for a 70 percent chance of rain in the morning, and an 87 percent chance of rain in the afternoon, falling at a steadier clip as the day goes on. That also comes after a rainy Wednesday as well, which doesn't help in terms of the field having much hope of drying out. The rain is expected through Thursday night, too, with an 85 percent chance of precipitation in the Bronx through the evening.
The National Weather Service also calls for showers overnight Wednesday into Thursday, with an 80 percent chance of rain and possible thunderstorms on Thursday. The rain is expected to continue through Thursday night, tapering off around 2 a.m. The chance of rain on Friday afternon is just 30 percent.
Some rain is in the forecast for Friday morning as well, but skies should be clear by the afternoon.
If Thursday's game is postponed, it will mark the second straight season that the Red Sox have had to wait a little longer for Opening Day. Last year, the Red Sox postponed their Thursday opener until Friday due to expected rain. That rain, however, never did fall that day after a morning storm. Boston's season openers in 2016 and 2009 were also postponed due to weather.
The schedule is typically built to account for a rainout on Opening Day, and that's the case for the Red Sox and Yankees, who have a scheduled off day Friday before resuming the series over the weekend. Thus, if Thursday's game does get rained out, it will certainly be held a day later.
The Red Sox won the season series vs. the Yankees last year -- barely -- by winning 10 of the 19 head-to-head games. The Red Sox then beat the Yankees, 6-2, in the Wild Card Game at Fenway Park, ending New York's season.