A series of storms threatens to upend MLB’s playoff race during the final week of the season

June 18, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Rain delays plagued Fenway Park during a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays. The weather took center stage as a series of storms threatened to disrupt Major League Baseball's playoff race during the final week of the season.

After a Monday off day, the Red Sox, Yankees, and Phillies were scheduled to host games at their respective home fields from September 22nd through September 27th. The Red Sox would face the Cleveland Guardians and Chicago Cubs, while the Yankees would host the Rays and Orioles, and the Phillies would face the Brewers and Rays. The uncertain weather conditions cast doubt on whether these games could be played or rescheduled, making it difficult to determine the playoff picture.

The Yankees lead the Rays by four games and have the tiebreaker, as long as they do not get swept in New York. However, if they don't secure a win by Thursday night, they might need to travel back to New York on Monday the 28th to finalize the division. The Boston Red Sox seem to be locked into the second Wild Card spot, but their opponents face different outcomes.

The Guardians sit one game ahead of the White Sox in the AL Central division and two games ahead of the team that could eliminate them from playoff contention. The Cubs are locked in a three-way tie for all three NL Wild Card spots with the Phillies and Padres. These games are likely to proceed despite potential disruptions.

Looking at the weather models, a strong probability of rainouts next week is evident. A high-pressure system over southeast Canada is blocking out any potential storms, creating a persistent onshore flow along the I-95 corridor. The exact nature of this blocking high remains uncertain, leading to a range of possibilities for rainouts during the critical playoff week.

Two main scenarios are possible: the Red Sox could further complicate the situation by beating the Rays and pushing them closer to New York in the standings, or a retrograding low pressure could cause Tampa and the Yankees to lose their games, preventing a decisive division result. Regardless, the forecast points to a challenging week for the playoffs, with rain potentially playing a significant role.