The Yankees’ trip to the North Side comes with a weather problem attached.
Friday’s series opener against the Cubs is set for 2:20 p.m. ET, but the forecast calls for rain and wind gusts up to 20 MPH in Chicago. The rain risk is expected to hang around through the afternoon and into the evening, with the possibility of a messy game rather than a clean start to the three-game set.
Will Warren is scheduled to take the ball, and he’ll be backed by an exhausted bullpen. The Yankees still have not made a roster move to help the staff for the weekend, even with the trade deadline coming Monday. That leaves the club in a tight spot if the weather turns the game into a grind.
At 10:13 a.m. CT, Cubs Weather posted that rain chances would rise for the rest of the game, with showers expected around gametime and lingering afterward. The account described the best-case scenario as “messy with some lucky gaps & play-ably light rain…” and added: “Takeaway: Issues expected…grab ponchos, beers, & a midwestern can-do attitude”
The broader forecast backs that up. There is currently a 100% chance of rain, and that figure stays mostly at or above 60% until 6 p.m. Precipitation remains in the forecast well into the night, though it gradually drops from 60% to 20%.
There has not been an official announcement on the weather situation yet, in part because the rain is expected to start light before building. The concern is less about the first pitch and more about a delay in the middle of the game, which would be a nightmare for everyone involved.
A postponement would be difficult to work around. Both teams play on Monday, so a doubleheader on Sunday is possible, but it would be far from ideal with the Yankees traveling back to New York to face the Cardinals.
The trade deadline also arrives at 6 p.m. ET on Monday, which adds another layer of complication.
For now, the expectation is that the game will be played, since rescheduling it would be nearly impossible. The Yankees and Cubs will need to keep one eye on the radar and hope Friday stays manageable enough to get through without a mess.
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Washington, for its part, does not sound eager to move him. The Nationals have already made one notable deal, sending Curtis Mead to the Pirates for Connelly Early, but they are not listening on Luis Garcia Jr. and are working on an extension for Foster Griffin, which suggests they are not in a full sell-off mode. For the Yankees, the question is whether this pursuit is real enough to matter, or simply another reminder that they are still hunting for the right fit. [Read more 🡒]
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What makes the idea more interesting is how neatly it lines up with New Yorks needs, even if the path to getting either player is not simple. Weavers season has been split by a left hamstring strain, and Taylors status as a short-term target adds another layer to the calculus, since the Yankees would have to decide whether the fit is worth the cost in a market where every move gets scrutinized. [Read more 🡒]