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UPDATE: We reported that the lone postponment for the Angels was due to a rainout. We sadly wish this were true. The April 9, 2009 game was postponed due to the tragic death of Nick Adenhart.
With April shifting to May, Major League Baseball can (hopefully) breathe a sigh of relief. That’s because based on ten-years worth of data from MLB Advanced Media regarding rainouts, April accounts for 37 percent of all rainouts each year (an average of 12), or more than double the amount of rainouts the league has seen for any other month during the season from 2002 to the present.
East is a Beast
In terms of which clubs get hit the hardest each year with the weather bug, 3 of the top 5 come from the Northeast. Leading the way is the Boston Red Sox with 31 rainouts over the last decade, followed by the Mets (28), Pirates (25), Yankees (24), and Indians (23), and Phillies (21) account for rainouts in the twenties (with the R. Sox being the only one in the thirties).
It Never Rains in California
Well, almost. Of the three open-air ballparks in southern California, there have been just two postponements in the last decade. The Padres saw their lone rainout on April 4, 2006 against the Giants. The Dodgers have not seen a rainout during the last decade. The lone postponement for the Angels was not weather related but due to the tragic death of Nick Adenhart.
Just Because you Have a Roof, Doesn’t Mean You Don’t Have Weather Postponements
Believe it or not, there have been a total of 6 rainouts in ballparks with retractable roofs or a dome. The Rays and Astros have both seen games postponed due to hurricanes. For the Rays, it was Sept 4-5 against the Tigers due to Hurricane Frances and Sept 26, 2004 against the Blue Jays due to Hurricane Jeanne. The other club was the Houston Astros who postponed the Sept 12-13 2008 games with the Cubs due to Hurricane Ike.
The weird one? The Montreal Expos canceled April 18, 2003 game against the Reds when the roof to Olympic Stadium was stuck open and the game had to be called due to rain.
How’s Target Field Working Out?
There was a lot of talk of rainouts, or worse, snowouts for the Minnesota Twins when they opened the new open-air Target Field after years in the Metrodome. But, so far, the Twins have been relatively lucky. To date, there have been just 2 rainouts (May 7, 2010 against the Orioles and just last Weds. on April 26 against the Rays)
Tragedy and the Twins
Not all postponements over the last decade have been weather related. The Aug. 2, 2007 game with the Royals was postponed over the tragic collapse of the eight-lane Interstate 35W bridge near the Metrodome, throwing dozens of cars into the Mississippi River.
How Did Your Team Do?
Wondering how many postponements your team might have had? Click READ MORE to see details for each over the last decade.
| Rainouts Over Last Decade |
| Red Sox |
31 |
| Mets |
28 |
| Pirates |
25 |
| Yankees |
24 |
| Indians |
23 |
| Phillies |
21 |
| Royals |
19 |
| Orioles |
18 |
| Cubs |
18 |
| White Sox |
18 |
| Rockies |
16 |
| Tigers |
16 |
| Braves |
15 |
| Rangers |
12 |
| Marlins |
10 |
| Cardinals |
9 |
| Nationals |
7 |
| Reds |
5 |
| Twins ^ |
3 |
| Giants |
3 |
| Rays * |
3 |
| Astros ** |
2 |
Angels ^^
|
1 |
| Expos *** |
1 |
| Padres |
1 |
^ 1 game postponed due to I35W Bridge collapse
^^ Postponed due to the death of Nick Adenhart
* Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne
** Hurricane Ike
*** Roof malfunction
Source: MLB Advanced Media
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