Weather risk forces KC Royals to change Saturday game time

Just when the KC Royals don't need any distractions from the tough task at hand — pursuing their first MLB Playoffs berth since winning the 2015 World Series — Mother Nature could be throwing a wrench into the club's weekend home series with San Francisco.

Concern about the current Kansas City area forecast is so sufficient that the Royals announced at midafternoon Friday that Saturday's contest with the Giants, originally scheduled for a 6:10 p.m. CDT first pitch, will begin at 4:10 p.m. CDT instead, with gates opening at 1 p.m.

While cautionary, the change seems prudent: as of late Friday afternoon, weather.com's hourly projections for Kansas City include thunderstorms for much of Saturday morning and Saturday evening.

A Saturday washout will complicate the Royals' schedule

The threat of a Saturday rainout can't be taken lightly at this point in the season. The Royals are playing their final homestand of the regular campaign — after finishing up with the Giants Sunday, they have Monday off before beginning a regular season-ending six-game road trip to Washington and Atlanta. Because Saturday's is an important contest with postseason implications, officials will make every effort to squeeze it in Saturday, or later if weather forces a postponement and playing the game is necessary.

The most immediate solution would seem to be to reschedule a rained-out Saturday game for Sunday, which would mean the Royals and Giants would play two. That's probably the best way to resolve the potential for a makeup game, especially considering the teams aren't scheduled to meet again this year and don't share a day off during the campaign's final week.

It's also plausible that, should it be necessary, the two clubs could get together Monday, Sept. 30, the day after the season ends. The first postseason games aren't scheduled until Tuesday.

Saturday may not be the only weather concern for the KC Royals

As if the possibility of inclement weather on Saturday isn't concerning enough, Sunday's Kansas City forecast also seems grim. weather.com's current projections include chances for rain from morning until at least midafternoon; Sunday's game is currently scheduled for 1:10 p.m. CDT. If that contest gets postponed, things become seriously complicated because the Giants are scheduled to play at Arizona Monday and, again, the Royals and San Francisco don't have a common day off the rest of the way.

The worst-case scenario, of course, is having washouts of both the Saturday and Sunday games at Kauffman Stadium. The situation could then become nightmarish if playing both of those games becomes necessary.

What about weekend promotional events at The K?

Weather could also impact this weekend's Kauffman Stadium promotional events. The always-popular Royals Fan Appreciation Night is scheduled for Saturday, and the Royals' aforementioned announcement about the time change for that day indicates Photos on the Field (for the first 3,500 who enter the park) is scheduled for 1:30-2:30 p.m. CDT. A Sidewalk Chalk Giveaway is slated for Sunday.

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