A’s expect to play Game 3 in smoky air: ‘We have played in it before, so we are experienced’ 

Smoky air seems to follow the Oakland A’s where they play. Even in the postseason.

Due to nearby wildfires in Northern California, the air has been hazy over the Oakland Coliseum throughout the wild-card series. According to PurpleAir.com, the air quality index was 143 at 10 a.m. at the reading point closest to the Coliseum. The decisive Game 3 of the AL wild-card playoffs against the Chicago White Sox is scheduled to start at noon.

“I saw it was over 100 this morning,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “We haven’t heard anything about it yet. We have played in it before, so we are experienced.”

Major League Baseball hasn’t set a strict AQI limit for determining postponements, but the A’s have been operating under the assumption that 200 AQI is a general limit. The A’s have played games in conditions with AQI above 143 this season.

That includes a game in Seattle when, at the time, PurpleAir.com showed readings of nearby AQIs well above 200. The pitcher that September day, Jesús Luzardo, said he was “gasping for air” while he pitched.