Cubs vs. Nationals NLDS Game 4 start time delayed due to rain

Chicago is about to get hit with quite a bit of weather.

As you can see from this helpful AccuWeather radar forecast for the greater Chicago area, a fair bit of precipitation is currently heading towards Wrigley Field. Where, as you may know, Game 4 between the Cubs and Nationals is scheduled to be played on Tuesday night.

Based on reports from inside the park, management from both sides looked at the weather and discussed what should be done about either moving the game to Wednesday or waiting out any delays.

On Monday, it was announced that the game’s start time of 5:38 p.m. ET would remain the same no matter if there were a Dodgers-Diamondbacks game scheduled for the evening slot or not to try and avoid the worst of the weather.

Of course, the game can’t be called in the middle no matter what, as Bud Selig decided back in 2008. So if the teams decide they’re starting this shindig tonight no matter what, it can’t end at only six or seven innings — they’ll have to wait the rain out or play the leftover innings on Wednesday. Which isn’t ideal.

TBS was also reportedly asked to accommodate a game start time of 1 p.m. ET so that more of the game could be completed (or even all of it) before the rain came through. They reportedly declined, for whatever business reasons they had, and thus the start time remained the same.

They probably had their reasons. It’s hard to move a few hours of Seinfeld reruns on short notice.

So what happens with the pitching?

The pitching matchup for Game 4 as it stands is Tanner Roark vs. Jake Arrieta. Should Game 4 get moved to Wednesday, however, there’s a chance that Stephen Strasburg could get the start to try and keep the Nats in the series rather than his expected start in Game 5.

Until the game is officially postponed, though, Washington won’t confirm what their decision is. Manager Dusty Baker said as he was preparing for the game.

“We’re not sure. So we don’t know the weather, it’s not raining yet, but they talk like it’s going to really rain. So you know, we’ll see.”

He also ran down the process of deciding whether to switch his starter to give his Game 1 guy another opportunity on the mound.

“The process would start between Mike Maddux and myself, and then we talk to Strasburg if we were serious about doing it. You have to, you know, change guys’ bullpens around, because guys, especially at this time of year, you know, our guys are routine. They have their own routine.

And you know, as of right now, you know, Tanner is pitching today, and so we’ll make that determination if and only when the game is called.”

Washington Post reporter Chelseas Janes witnessed Strasburg preparing for either outcome, forgoing a bullpen session for the time being in case he gets the Game 4 nod.

On the Cubs side of things, Chicago will be sticking with Jake Arrieta no matter what the weather does.

Now to wait and see what actually happens. But if a delay after a few innings is the outcome, fans at Wrigley should be prepared to hang around while the weather passes rather than going home early because of a shortened game.

UPDATE 5:02pm EST: The game’s start time has now officially been delayed, although for how long no one can be sure. Game officials are reportedly meeting again approximately 30 minutes from now to decide what next steps will be.

A further delay and postponement are the options at hand. Come back here for all the latest updates on the game’s start time or a rescheduling.