Heavy rain and a wet field led to the postponement of Tuesday night’s game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Cleveland Guardians. The teams will now play a doubleheader on Wednesday, with the first game beginning at 1:10 p.m.
With many fans already at Progressive Field, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt and GM Mike Chernoff checked the condition of the field around 7:30 p.m. before the postponement was announced about 40 minutes later.
Before the 6:40 p.m. start time, severe thunderstorms hit the area, and a tornado warning prompted ballpark workers to seek shelter in the lower levels of the stadium. A hallway connecting the Diamondbacks’ dugout and clubhouse was flooded with water.
The rainout delayed the debut of Diamondbacks left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, who was scheduled to return after a shoulder injury. Rodriguez will now pitch in Wednesday’s second game.
Rodriguez signed a four-year, $80 million deal with Arizona in December, aiming to strengthen the team’s starting rotation. He had a setback during rehab, extending his absence to five months.
The rainout also means the AL Central-leading Guardians will face two doubleheaders within three days, adding pressure to their pitching staff. They will start a four-game series against second-place Minnesota on Friday with a day-night doubleheader.
