The Brewers’ return from the All-Star Break comes with a big asterisk attached: Friday night’s game against the Miami Marlins is supposed to be on the schedule, but the air in Milwaukee has made that far from a sure thing.
Wildfires in northern Minnesota and across the Canadian border have pushed smoke and haze into Wisconsin, driving down air quality across the state. MLB has dealt with postponements because of poor air before, so this wouldn’t be new territory if the league had to make a call.
American Family Field changes the equation a bit because of its retractable roof. In theory, Milwaukee could still get the game in by closing the roof.
But that only solves part of the problem. If smoky air gets inside before the roof is shut, it has nowhere to go.
And there’s also the more basic issue of whether players, coaches and fans can even make it to the ballpark safely in the conditions outside.
The numbers early Friday were ugly. Milwaukee’s AQI was above 400, which falls into the very hazardous range.
That said, the forecast offered some hope: wind is expected to push the smoke away, and by first pitch the AQI is projected to drop below 100. If that holds, baseball should be on.
So while the game is technically still on, the situation is fluid. A shift in the wind could change everything, and Milwaukee will be watching the air as closely as the lineup card throughout the day.
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Max Meyers First Start Back Raised A Bigger Marlins Concern
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Marlins Waste Another Strong Night As Wild Card Pressure Mounts
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Instead, the Marlins left with another narrow loss and another reminder of how quickly a tight game can turn when every inning starts to matter more. Garrett Mitchell kept finding ways to tilt the night Milwaukees way, and Miami now has to try to stop a slide that is beginning to make each series opener feel heavier than the last. [Read more 🡒]
Eury Prez Is Becoming A Huge Part Of Miamis Stretch Run
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Miami is still handling him carefully after his injured-list stint, but the bigger picture is easy to see. If Prez keeps trending this way, he could become the kind of third or fourth starter who changes the feel of a short postseason series, especially with the way his arsenal is coming together and his confidence is building at just the right time. [Read more 🡒]