Rain is hovering over Thursday night’s Field of Dreams Game, and MLB is keeping a backup plan ready just in case the weather wins out.
The matchup between the Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies is set for the outdoor ballpark in Dyersville, Iowa, where there’s no roof and no real cover to work around. That means any meaningful rain could trigger a delay, even if the league is still hoping to get the game in as scheduled.
The National Weather Service listed a 20 percent chance of rain for Thursday night in Dyersville. A tarp covered the field for much of the afternoon, but the grounds crew pulled it off a few hours before first pitch. By then, the rain had already let up.
“It has stopped raining for the moment…here at Field of Dreams! @FOX9 pic.twitter.com/DWSat5yLCl
- Dawn Mitchell (@DawnAtFOX9) August 13, 2026
“The tarp is coming off and the heavy rain, for now, has stopped at the Field of Dreams. Whether it stays that way is the question now. pic.twitter.com/RzrIY6nASA
- Nick El Hajj (@nick_el_hajj) August 13, 2026
“As first pitch quickly approaches, the rain doesn't seem like it will be much of an issue.
⚾️☔️ Pretty pleased with model trends in Dyersville Iowa for the Field of Dreams game. Heavy stuff likely holds well South, and I’m not expecting more than a few sprinkles over the ballpark.
I lowered the risk level on the @PropFinderApp forecast 👌 pic.twitter.com/DQWIMS3pHQ
- Kevin Roth (@KevinRothWx) August 13, 2026
Still, MLB has a plan in place if the game can’t be played Thursday night. The Twins and Phillies both have Friday off for travel, and if the weather forces a postponement, the game is expected to be moved to Friday night.
In talking with Minnesota Twins GM Jeremy Zoll, the plan is if there is a rainout here tonight at the Field of Dreams, the teams will bus to Cedar Rapids and stay the night, then return to Dyersville and play tomorrow night. Keep your fingers crossed.
- Jeff Johnson (@jeje66) August 13, 2026
If that happens, it would be the first time MLB has needed a contingency plan for the Field of Dreams Game. The previous two editions, in 2021 and 2022, were played on the scheduled night without weather getting in the way.
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