Bronx weather update: When will Astros-Yankees game start? Rain delays first pitch Rain and thunderstorms caused a short delay before Thursday night’s Houston Astros vs New York Yankees game at Yankee Stadium. The game was originally scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET, but the Yankees announced at 6:23 p.m. that first pitch would instead be 7:15 p.m. ET. Grounds crews later removed the tarp from the infield, suggesting the weather had improved enough for the teams to begin soon. The Bronx had already seen heavy showers and thunderstorms earlier in the day, with more rain possible around game time.
What caused the Astros-Yankees delay? Bronx weather update and new start time
The main reason for the delay was the unsettled weather in the Bronx. The Weather Channel forecast rain and thunderstorms around the original first-pitch window, while the National Weather Service called for a 60% chance of precipitation Thursday evening. Some storms could also become severe, with rainfall of up to three-quarters of an inch possible.The weather had been active for much of the afternoon. Showers and thunderstorms began around 1:30 p.m., and the forecast showed the strongest storm risk easing as the evening went on. By around 7 p.m., the rain chance was expected to drop sharply, giving the Yankees reason to expect a quick return to the field.At about 6:30 p.m., the grounds crew took the tarp off the infield. That was another positive sign after the Yankees announced the 7:15 p.m. ET start. Sports meteorologist Kevin Roth also said the clearing weather was “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.”The conditions around Yankee Stadium were near 77 degrees, with winds around 10-12 mph. A flood watch remained in effect for the Bronx through 11 p.m., so more rain remained possible later in the night.
Gerrit Cole, Hayden Wesneski set to start Astros-Yankees game
The delay also put attention on the two starting pitchers. Gerrit Cole was scheduled to start for New York after allowing one earned run over six innings against Baltimore in his previous outing. He entered Thursday with a 7-6 record and 3.11 ERA. Hayden Wesneski was set to start for Houston with a 3-1 record and 4.23 ERA.The Astros entered at 66-67, while the Yankees were 75-57. New York had won seven of its previous nine games, including Wednesday’s 9-3 win over Houston.For Houston, the game was especially important because the Astros were trying to respond after Wednesday’s loss. Wesneski was coming off his best outing of the season, allowing just one hit over five scoreless innings against Oakland.