MLB
2024 MLB Little League Classic: What happens if it rains? When will the game be played?
The New York Yankees are set to face the Detroit Tigers in Williamsport on Sunday, although the forecast may force the MLB to change plans.
The New York Yankees are due to take on the Detroit Tigers in the 2024 MLB Little League Classic on Sunday (August 18) in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, the seventh edition of a game which has been incorporated into Players’ Weekend this year and is something of a treat for stars of the 2024 Little League World Series. However, the weather could throw a significant spanner in the works.
Where and when will the 2024 MLB Little League Classic be played?
As has been the case since the Little League Classic was introduced in 2017, the game is scheduled to be played at Historic Bowman Field in Williamsport, with the first pitch to be thrown at 7:10 p.m. ET.
The forecast for the area, though, doesn’t look at all promising. There’s almost a 100 percent chance of precipitation, a 59 percent chance of thunderstorms, and nearly an inch of rain due to fall on Sunday.
Yankees and Tigers may return to Detroit
As a result, there’s a risk the game could be rained off, according to Yankees manager Aaron Boone.
Speaking to the media on Saturday, the former third batsman said the Yankees and the Tigers would return to Detroit, where they faced each other on Saturday, to play the game on Monday if Sunday was a washout. If that were the case, the meeting between the teams would become a ‘regular’ MLB game at Comerica Park.
MLB has stressed it will do everything possible to get the game in as planned, so all eyes will be on the skies in the hours before the first pitch.
What is the MLB Little League Classic?
The Little League Classic has become an important marketing tool for the MLB as they look to get and keep younger fans interested in baseball.
As with all games played on Players’ Weekend, many players use bats, cleats and catchers gear designed by children from Children’s Hospitals around the country, or by their own children.
Much of the crowd is typically made up of players, coaches and families of participants in the 2024 Little League World Series, which is taking place in Williamsport until Sunday, August 25.