Poor air quality caused by wildfires prompts Pirates-Guardians to attempt Saturday doubleheader

By: Joe Reedy, The Associated Press Posted: 6:22 PM CDT Friday, Jul. 17, 2026 Last Modified: 6:37 PM CDT Friday, Jul. 17, 2026

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CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Guardians and Pittsburgh Pirates will play a doubleheader on Saturday after the opening game of the weekend series between the teams was postponed on Friday night because of poor air quality caused by wildfires.

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The teams and umpire crew met at 4:30 p.m. EDT, when the air quality index was at 203, which is deemed to be very unhealthy and hazardous.

The first game of Saturday’s split doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 1:10 p.m. EDT.

A view from the press box level at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio, Friday, July 17, 2026, after the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cleveland Guardians was postponed due to air quality concerns because of wildfire smoke from Canada and northern Minnesota. (AP Photo/Joe Reedy)

The second game is scheduled to start at 7:10 p.m. EDT, but rain is forecast for most of the evening.

Pittsburgh’s Jared Jones (1-1) against Cleveland’s Gavin Williams (10-4) — who were Friday’s scheduled starters — will take the mound for Saturday’s first game.

The Guardians will call up Logan Allen (0-0) to pitch Saturday’s nightcap. It will be his second appearance of the season at the big league level. The Pirates are still determining their starter.

The first series after the All-Star break is critical for both teams. Cleveland (51-46) came into Friday tied with the Chicago White Sox atop the AL Central while Pittsburgh (50-47) was two games behind Miami for the final NL wild-card spot.

“To get 48 hours to really just be with your family, be with loved ones, do something other than go to the field, it is super powerful. So I hope our guys got a chance to turn off and also what it does is it gives people a small reset,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said.

The Guardians got a boost before the postponement as injured third baseman José Ramírez did some fielding work.

Ramírez had surgery on June 16 to remove the hook of the broken hamate bone in his left hand. He suffered the injury during the fifth inning on June 13 against Detroit when he fouled out on a popup.

When Ramírez was injured, it was estimated he would miss 5-7 weeks.

“He’s been working hard. I think I read the other day his speed is up from where it was at the beginning of the year with his running and he’s been simulating innings. So we’re not 100% sure he’ll need to go out (on a rehab assignment), but again, he’s going to know what he needs when he feels like he’s ready to go play,” Vogt said.

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