Report: Forecasts of Heavy Rain in New York Could Alter ALCS, NLCS Schedules

The forecast for heavy rain in New York on Wednesday could lead to several changes to the MLB postseason schedule, according to ESPN.  

The New York Yankees are expected to host the Houston Astros in Game 4 of the ALCS at 8:08 p.m. ET that night, but a rainout could cause multiple games to be pushed back.

New York would host Game 4 on Thursday and Game 5 on Friday before a quick turnaround to Game 6 Saturday back in Houston, if necessary. The series is currently tied 1-1.

Meanwhile, any changes to the ALCS could impact the NLCS, which has Game 5 scheduled for 4:08 p.m. ET on Thursday. If the Washington Nationals and St. Louis Cardinals go to a fifth game—the Nationals currently lead 2-0 and could still clinch in four—Wednesday's matchup could be moved to prime time to fill the void.

Considering MLB would like to make any plans with advanced notice, the league could call a rainout before the bad weather even comes.

While these schedule changes could represent a small inconvenience for the players, it could have a significant impact on a series—the ALCS, in particular. The Yankees are currently planning to rely on the bullpen in Game 4 with no reliable starters available.

"For [Game 4 on Wednesday], it will be kind of a bullpen day," manager Aaron Boone said Monday, per Marly Rivera of ESPN. "Obviously, depends a lot on what happens tomorrow; how we use guys, what the game ends up in, we'll kind of see where we're at going into the next day. J.A. Happ could very much be in the mix, as well as our bullpen being unleashed on that day."

However, an extra day off could allow Game 1 starters Masahiro Tanaka and Zack Greinke to pitch on regular rest.