Major League Baseball is making a significant change for Game 5 of the American League Division Series due to weather concerns.
The decisive Game 5 between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians had been scheduled for 8:08 P.M. on Saturday, but the league announced Friday the start time has been moved up to 1:08 P.M. That move is due to concerns about the weather in Cleveland around the original start time, with rain in the forecast.
Saturday's decisive ALDS Game Five between the @CleGuardians and @tigers at Progressive Field has been moved up to a 1:08 p.m. (ET) start due to the forecast for inclement weather in Cleveland. pic.twitter.com/Hg24nNSIxF
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) October 11, 2024
The initial schedule had actually called for the game to be played at 4:08 P.M., but that was changed when the New York Yankees won Game 4 of their series against the Kansas City Royals, eliminating the need for a deciding fifth game in that series.
The change in start time should not have a huge impact on the game, as the start is early enough that shadows should not be an issue until the late innings, if at all. The game could have been avoided altogether, but the Tigers could not quite close out Cleveland in a crucial Game 4 Thursday.
