When will San Diego Padres vs Pittsburgh Pirates start? MLB game delayed due to Canadian wildfires

Fans of the Pittsburgh Pirates were hoping to witness their struggling team sweep the San Diego Padres in the third and final game of the series between the two teams. However, the game, scheduled for 12:35 p.m. ET, now looks doubtful.

Smoke from the wild fires that are currently raging in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec has rendered much of the air quality in North America abhorrent. Yesterday, four out of the top five cities at the very bottom of the air quality index were in northeastern North America, with Toronto reportedly having the worst in the world.

Fans in Pittsburgh awoke to apocalyptic scenes as smoke from the fires hampered visibility and caused the air quality in the city to deteriorate. Ahead of the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Union Tribune writer Kevin Acee was one of the first to break news of the delay.

"It appears today’s Padres-Pirates game will not begin on time. The air here is horrible due to smoke from Canadian fires."

For the San Diego Padres, the delay might be welcome news. The Friars have now lost four straight games, including two against the NL-worst Washington Nationals. Perhaps a later start time will allow the team to loosen up and get the victory.

Reports of a very tense Padres locker room have emerged recently. According to multiple sources, internal conflict is seriously impacting the team's ability to stay focused on winning games. Many believe provocative stud Fernando Tatis Jr. as a prime instigator of the issues at hand.

Following an examination of the local air quality, the Pirates have decided to push the game back by 45 minutes. The contest will now begin at 1:20 p.m. ET.

"After discussions with MLB, MLBPA, we have made the decision to move forward with our game today. Today’s game will begin at 1:20PM. We will continue to closely monitor the air quality index levels around the ballpark and respond accordingly." - Pittsburgh Pirates

While things look slightly better for Pittsburgh Pirates fans, things are far from alright in Steeltown. With a record of 37-42, the Pirates continue to languish in the NL Central's fourth place, currently standing five games behind the Cincinnati Reds.

Pittsburgh Pirates delay shows us the environmental impact on baseball

While many baseball fans love the fact that the game is an outdoor spectacle, there can, at times, be downsides. Hopefully, the depressing shroud of smoke clears in time for Pirates fans to make it to the field and cheer on their guys.