ARLINGTON, Texas — Globe Life Field’s roof was opened for Game 4 of the American League Championship Series on Thursday night, marking the first time the Texas Rangers have played an open-air home game in nearly five months.
Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker didn’t seem all that thrilled about it.
“We were told that there was an agreement that we wouldn’t have the roof open in either place,” Baker said during his pregame news conference, “and so I don’t know what changed.”
The decision was actually left up to Major League Baseball, which steps in when two teams disagree on the state of a retractable roof for postseason games.
The Rangers and Astros agreed to keep the roof closed for ALCS Game 3. Later that night — after an 8-5 victory by the Astros, their first of this series — MLB senior vice president of on-field operations Michael Hill checked in with Astros senior vice president of business operations Marcel Braithwaite, who said his team preferred the roof remain closed, and Rangers general manager Chris Young, who said his team was thinking about opening it.
The Rangers ultimately decided they would open the roof for the first time since May 21. And because the window their game would be played in satisfied the open-roof guidelines submitted by the Rangers at the start of the season — temperature between 65 and 80 degrees, relative humidity 50% or higher — MLB approved the decision. Baker said he “got word prior to us coming here that there was an agreement that both sides would close their roofs,” but an MLB official said that was not the case.
“MLB applies its policy to the decision to open or close a roof during any postseason game,” an MLB official wrote in a statement. “When the two clubs have different preferences, MLB consults its independent weather experts and follows the criteria used by the home club during the regular season.”
The Rangers have played in 11 games with their roof open this season and won seven of them. Both teams averaged 13.7 runs per game with the Globe Life Field roof open and 10.2 runs with it closed this season, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The Rangers’ coaches believe an open roof can typically add about six feet of distance on fly balls, depending on the conditions. Astros starter Jose Urquidy had a 27.1% flyball percentage during the regular season, which was just slightly above the major league average. Rangers starter Andrew Heaney was at 31%.
Clear skies and temperatures in the mid to high 70s were expected around game time, with first pitch scheduled for 7:03 p.m. CT. Rangers manager Bruce Bochy was asked if he believes the roof being open will make a difference for his team.
“I don’t think so, no,” he said. “I don’t see it being any different. It’s going to be a beautiful night. It’s a beautiful ballpark with the roof open. I think you’ll see that.”
ESPN’s Buster Olney contributed to this report.
