Hey, it’s a rivalry, right? You don’t expect the Rangers and Astros to agree on much, if anything.
Like, apparently, whether they want to play indoors or outdoors.
And, so after the Rangers requested the roof be open Thursday, MLB decided consulted the team’s regular-season policies and determined that it would indeed be open for Game 4 of the AL Championship Series between the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros.
The roof was closed for Game 3 because both the Rangers and Astros preferred it to be. Astros manager Dusty Baker said he had been under the impression there was an agreement the roof would not be open in either Arlington or Houston. The roof at Minute Maid Park was closed for Games 1 and 2 despite mild weather.
“I don’t know what changed,” Baker said.
Asked if the Rangers had requested the roof be open, manager Bruce Bochy said: “If it’s nice, we’re fine with it. It’s beautiful outside. This is a beautiful park with the roof open.”
MLB officials confirmed their process is to check with both teams after every game to discuss preferences for the next game. An MLB official said there was no prior agreement about the status of the roof for the entire series. The guidelines the Rangers filed for closing the roof during the regular season were if the temperature during the game was expected to drop below 65 or rise above 80. Also, if humidity is expected to rise above 50%, the roof is generally closed.
“When clubs are not in agreement, then MLB makes the final determination based on the criteria that the home club uses during the regular season,” an MLB spokesperson told The Dallas Morning News via text on Wednesday.
The Rangers have played only 11 games at Globe Life Field with the roof open this season, none since May 21 against Colorado. Ironically, Game 4 starter Andrew Heaney also started that game. In fact, Heaney started four of the 11 games the Rangers played under the open skies in Arlington. He allowed 11 runs (nine earned) in 21.2 innings, though six of those came in one start. Heaney, a fly ball pitcher, allowed five homers in that span.
The Rangers were 7-4 with the roof open, 3-2 in night games with the roof open. There did appear to be a significant tilt towards offense when the roof was open, suggesting that, at least under the specific weather conditions of those games, the ball carried better. With the roof open, the Rangers posted a .914 OPS; it was .833 with it closed. The pitching staff allowed a 4.77 ERA and .776 OPS with the roof open, 4.50 with a .732 OPS with it closed.
According to Weather.com – not the independent source MLB uses as its weather forecasting model – it was expected to be 77 degrees with 25% humidity at game time and the temperature was to drop down to 68 over the ensuing four hours. Winds are forecast to be about 4 mph from the Southwest.
It’s hard to duplicate specific atmospheric conditions, but the Rangers have played three games with the roof open this year with the game time temperature announced between 75-79 degrees. They are 1-2 in those games, the last of which was a Heaney start against Arizona on May 3. He allowed six runs in 4.2 innings and three homers. The wind, according to the Baseball-Reference report, was blowing in right from right field at 10 mph.
More to come on this story.
Find more Rangers coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
