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Wildfire Smoke Threatens Baseball Games
18 Jul
Summary
- Wildfire smoke causes air quality alerts for MLB games.
- Yankees-Dodgers and Pirates-Guardians games are at high risk.
- Air quality index in Cleveland and Chicago exceeds safe levels.
Baseball's return on Friday, July 19, 2026, is clouded by smoke from Canadian wildfires, with 28 teams scheduled to play. Several games are at risk due to deteriorating air quality, notably the high-profile series between the Yankees and Dodgers in New York and the Pirates facing the Guardians in Cleveland.
Cities like Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington D.C. are experiencing heavy smoke, though some teams are playing on the road. In New York, the Yankees-Dodgers game is likely to proceed as the air quality index (AQI) is forecast to improve, currently at 122, which is "unhealthy for sensitive groups." However, Chicago faces a more severe situation, with an AQI of 338 for the Twins-Cubs game, and projections suggest it may remain hazardous at game time.
The Pirates-Guardians game in Cleveland is considered the most at risk, with an AQI near 338 and projected to be around 240 at the start of the game. MLB lacks a strict postponement standard for air quality, but past cancellations occurred with AQI in the 200s. Meanwhile, the doubleheader between the Rays and Red Sox in Boston is not a concern, with an AQI of 51.
The widespread smoke is attributed to over 830 wildfires, mainly in Canada, exacerbated by wind patterns affecting the Midwest, Northeast, and mid-Atlantic United States. This situation echoes a similar impact on the eastern U.S. in 2023, which led to the cancellation of three MLB games.
