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The Guardians-White Sox game is in a weather delay. Here's the latest on the cause of the stoppage and when play could begin

The Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox were unable to begin play as scheduled Wednesday after weather moved into the area, forcing officials to delay the start of the game while conditions are evaluated.

With both teams waiting for a window to safely take the field, fans are now looking for updates on the weather situation and a possible first-pitch time.

Rain moved through the South Side of Chicago on Wednesday afternoon, pushing back the scheduled 2:10 p.m. ET first pitch at Rate Field. The Chicago White Sox formally announced the delay, according to deputy sports editor Jeff Agrest of the Chicago Sun-Times, with no revised start time immediately provided. Officials said additional information would be released as it became available. The game was set to be the third and final contest of the three-game home series between the two AL Central clubs, and carried the highest stakes of any matchup in the set.

Guardians-White Sox Weather Situation at Rate Field

Weather tracking showed a 32% chance of precipitation and 13 mph winds blowing right to left at Rate Field at the original start time, according to RotoWire. The forecast grew increasingly unsettled as the afternoon wore on. Precipitation probability had risen to 36% by 3:10 p.m. and sat at 42% by 5:10 p.m. A complete postponement had not been formally confirmed as of Wednesday afternoon, but officials had not ruled one out, and continued monitoring was advised. When the game does get underway, that persistent right-to-left wind will factor into the offensive environment for both lineups — and Rate Field had already seen plenty of run-scoring in the series.

The delay suspended a first-place battle that had been tightening all week. Chicago entered Wednesday sitting atop the AL Central at 41-37, one game ahead of the Cleveland Guardians, who came in at 41-39 and had lost three consecutive games heading into the series finale, according to ESPN.

The White Sox had taken Monday’s opener 6-5 and won the Tuesday night contest 2-1, reclaiming sole possession of first place with both narrow victories, per Agrest. A sweep Wednesday would extend Chicago’s divisional advantage and mark three straight series wins — a meaningful run with the July trade deadline approaching.

Cleveland Guardians Injury List Adds Urgency to Delayed Series Finale

Cleveland’s injury situation made the stakes even more urgent for the Guardians. All-Star third baseman José Ramírez was on the IL with a hand injury. Outfielder Chase DeLauter was sidelined with a rib fracture on the 10-day IL, and infielder Angel Martínez was also out with a foot injury. Three regulars unavailable and a three-game losing streak in place means the Guardians needed to play this game and win it.

When first pitch does arrive, Tanner Bibee takes the mound for Cleveland, bringing a 2-8 record and 4.03 ERA with 78 strikeouts into the start. The White Sox planned to open with Chris Murphy as an opener before turning the ball over to right-hander Erick Fedde, who stood at 2-6 with a 4.46 ERA and 48 strikeouts on the season.