Cubs Vs. Nationals: Game 4 Of NLDS Postponed To Wednesday

CHICAGO, IL — The threat of bad weather already had Major League Baseball move up, then delay Tuesday's start time of Game 4 of the National League Division Series between the Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals at Wrigley Field. Now officials have rescheduled the game to 3:08 p.m. Wednesday.

"The window wasn't really wide enough for any type of sustaining play," Joe Torres, MLB's executive vice president of baseball operations, said Tuesday, explaining why officials decided to postpone Game 4 instead of playing it later in the evening.

The Cubs lead the best-of-five series, 2-1, and Chicago would advance to the NL Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers with a win Tuesday. Jake Arietta is the scheduled starter for the Cubs, and Tanner Roark, a native of Wilmington, Illinois, will take the mound for the Nationals.

Wrigley's grounds crew pulled the tarps onto different parts of the field at around 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 10. Officials are unsure how long the delay will last. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news for Lake View and Chicago — or other neighborhoods. And iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app.)

Also See: Why Are MLB Playoff Games Are Taking So Long?

RELATED: "Respect Me!" Cubs' Anthony Rizzo Gives Fiery Response To Not Being Walked In Game 3

The National Weather Service issued the following forecast just before 4 p.m. Tuesday: "Scattered showers are currently developing across the area this afternoon. Expect more steady rainfall to shift northeastward over much of the area by early evening. Thereafter, expect periods of rain to continue for much of the night across northern Illinois. A few thunderstorms will also be possible this evening."

Fans, however, were hoping Mother Nature would change her mind about the forecast and allow weather conditions to clear up enough to allow the Cubs and Nats to play Game 4:

But some Cubs fans embraced the rain delay and saw it as a good omen of sorts. During Game 7 of last year's World Series at Cleveland's Progressive Field, momentum had shifted after the Indians erased the Cubs' three-run lead and tied the game, 6-6, after nine innings. That's when rain delayed the game for 17 minutes, and after a stirring clubhouse speech by veteran Jason Heyward, Chicago was able to come out and pull out a victory over Cleveland, 8-7.

Debate also ensued online about which team would benefit the most from the bad weather. Some observers predicted the Nationals could be helped in a big way now that Game 4 is moved to Wednesday. The new start time might mean starter Stephen Strasburg — one of two Washington pitchers who has no-hit the Cubs through at least five innings in this year's NLDS — will be available to take the mound. He pitched in Game 1 of the series Friday and would be starting on normal four-day rest.

After the postponement became official, Nationals manager Dusty Baker said he was staying with Roark for Game 4. Strasburg threw in the bullpen Tuesday, but Baker said the right-hander was feeling under the weather, which factored into the decision to keep him as the starter if Washington can push the series to Game 5.

But an anonymous source with "direct knowledge of the Nationals' pitching plans" told USA Today that it was Strasburg who informed the coaching staff he didn't feel well enough to pitch Wednesday. The pitcher's decision came after he wheezed through a half-mile run Tuesday, according to USA Today. His work in the bullpen also was Monday, not Tuesday like Baker said, the report added.

And Strasburg isn't the only Nationals player feeling less than 100 percent, according to Baker.

"[A] lot of my team is under the weather with the change of weather and the air conditioning in the hotel and the air conditioning here," he said. "It's just this time of the year for mold around Chicago — I think it's mold. I mean, I have it, too."

Even though Strasburg won't start Game 4, Baker was asked if the pitcher would be available to throw in relief for Game 4.

"I don't know, man. I ain't even thinking about that to tell you the truth. I'm thinking Tanner's going to do his thing," he said.

Wrigley Field's groundkeepers work on the field after the start of Game 4 of the National League Division Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Washington Nationals was delayed Tuesday, Oct. 10. (Photo by Nam Y. Huh | Associated Press)

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