Yankees, Phillies games are OFF due to Canadian wildfire smoke: MLB ‘closely monitoring’

The New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies have had both their games postponed tonight as hazardous smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to wreak havoc across the east coast of America.

New York City’s current air quality is listed as ‘Hazardous’ and Philadelphia is currently listed as ‘very unhealthy’, according to AirNow.

According to weather experts, both conditions call for people to move physical activities indoors – while hazardous conditions suggest that ‘everyone should stay indoors’. 

On Tuesday night, Minor League games in Syracuse and Scranton were postponed due to the air quality, but so far no games in the Majors have been affected. 

In September 2020, a Seattle Mariners game was postposed and a series relocated to San Francisco due to air quality.  

The Yankees played through the smog on Tuesday, despite the poor air quality in New York

New York City was covered in thick smoke throughout Wednesday due to Canadian wildfires

On Wednesday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams recommended that ‘vulnerable New Yorkers stay inside’, and the National Weather Service has issued an air quality alert until midnight.

New York City only trails behind Delhi, India for the worst air quality and pollution out of 100 tracked countries, as of Wednesday morning. MLB officials have yet to share an update on Wednesday night’s games in the Northeast. 

The Yankees, Phillies and Washington Nationals are all scheduled to play at home.

The Yankees take on the Chicago White Sox at Yankee Stadium, while the Phillies will play the Detroit Tigers at Citizens Bank Park and the Nationals will host the Arizona Diamondbacks at Nationals Park.

The Yankees did play against the White Sox on Tuesday night in the Bronx, losing 2-1. The effect of the low air quality had an impact on the game, with players struggling to see through the smog throughout the night. 

Anthony Rizzo, of the Yankees, jogs to the dugout during the second inning vs. the White Sox

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has recommended that ‘vulnerable New Yorkers stay inside’

Climate change and air pollution scientist Dan Westervelt told The Athletic that the current weather conditions in the the Big Apple are ‘pretty unprecedented.’

The air quality alerts caution ‘sensitive groups,’ a big category that includes children, older adults, and people with lung diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Kids, who often are encouraged to go out and play, ‘are more susceptible to smoke for a number of reasons,’ said Laura Kate Bender, the lung association’s National Assistant Vice President, healthy air. 

‘Their lungs are still developing, they breathe in more air per unit of body weight.’

It’s a good time to put off yard work and outdoor exercise. If seeking to go out, consider wearing an N95 mask to reduce your exposure to pollutants. Stay inside, keeping doors, windows and fireplaces shut.