Weather delay pushes back Arizona Diamondbacks’ first pitch time vs. Mets

The Arizona Diamondbacks’ game on Monday against the New York Mets at Citi Field will resume at 5:20 p.m. MST after a weather delay for lightning pushed the start time back over an hour.

A little after an hour before first pitch, a 4:10 p.m. MST time, the D-backs announced that batting practice had been canceled.

Live look outside @CitiField #LFGM #LGM pic.twitter.com/Ok2bkwGKe0

— Piping Hot Gas (@PipingHotGas) September 11, 2023

An areal flood watch was put into notice during the early afternoon, lasting until midnight local time. Forecasts of the area dropped the percentage of rain to 51% an hour past first pitch, with thunderstorms fading out as well.

The start of the four-game series saw the tarp removed a little under a half-hour after the scheduled first pitch.

Tarp is coming off the field. Should have a start time soon. #LGM pic.twitter.com/oWCqgT4D7p

— Mets Weather (@WxMets) September 11, 2023

This was not the only sporting event in the area affected by the weather.

The National Football League’s first Monday Night Football fixture of the season was set to go at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, 20 miles west of Citi Field, for the New York Jets hosting the Buffalo Bills before the weather alerts began to come in, including a shelter-in-place warning.

Specific warnings for those assembled outside the stadium were sent, warning fans to take shelter in their cars and not to go to the entrance gates for the kickoff going an hour after the D-backs’ scheduled start.

Players were unable to warm up on the field.

Current scene at MetLife, where a shelter-in-place warning is now in effect. No players or personnel are being allowed on the field. pic.twitter.com/KDhO3Tqu3o

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 11, 2023

The warning was lifted a little under 90 minutes before kickoff. Fans entered the stadium and players came back out on the field.

we’re so back (in the stadium now that the shelter in place warning has been lifted) pic.twitter.com/w3TNbV2QJJ

— katherine fitzgerald (@kfitz134) September 11, 2023

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