Sunday's rubber match between the Boston Red Sox and Kansas City Royals will begin in a weather delay. The Red Sox are locked in a Wild Card race with the Yankees, boasting zero margin for error. The Royals, meanwhile, are in free fall, bound to finish this season near the bottom of the standings. It would appear that Mother Nature objects to an uneventful finish to their three-game series at historic Fenway Park.
Once the rain lifts, Payton Tolle is expected to take the mound for Boston, while Noah Cameron will pitch for the Royals. Two very talented young pitchers, with plenty of star-power in both lineups, to boot. For some Red Sox fans, it's a chance to wishcast Bobby Witt Jr. to Boston live and in person. Here's what we know about the weather delay.
When will the Red Sox-Royals game start on Friday?
Game alert: Royals-Red Sox will be delayed due to inclement weather Sunday.
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) September 13, 2026
The original start time was 3:05 p.m. ET, but fans could be forced to wait a while. High humidity has led to heavy rain in Beantown, with a Flood Warning in effect. We will keep you posted as more information becomes available.
Fenway Park forecast: How much more rain is expected?
There's no chance this game gets postponed. We are too close to the postseason and thankfully, it seems that the weather will relent eventually. Fans at the ballpark are in for a long wait — but not too long. Based on the forecast, rain should let up within a couple hours.
Hour (ET) | Chance of precipitation |
|---|---|
3 p.m. | 90% |
4 p.m. | 90% |
5 p.m. | 49% |
6 p.m. | 49% |
The forecast shifts from rain to cloudy at 5 p.m. ET; that is around when the Flood Watch is expected to lift, too. The rain could pick back up briefly at 7 p.m., so there's a chance for more complications, but all signs point to a delay no longer than two hours, if that.
Add us as a preferred source on Google