UPDATE (9:25 a.m. ET): After all of that, the start time for Tuesday night’s game has been moved. The Boston Red Sox and Yankees are now playing at 7:05 p.m. ET due to inclement weather in New York.
ORIGINAL STORY: The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees usually play under the bright lights, so it will be a little odd to see the two bitter rivals open a three-game set at 1:05 p.m. ET on Tuesday afternoon.
There’s a reason for the ultra-rare, series-opening weekday matinee game, though.
Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, falls on Wednesday, Sept. 19, this year. The holiday actually begins Tuesday at sundown with the Kol Nidre service, with an ensuing 25-hour fast that ends Wednesday night.
New York City has the biggest Jewish population in the world outside of Israel, so the Yankees typically prefer to be on the road for Yom Kippur. They don’t always get that wish, however, and they end up playing during the day if the beginning of Yom Kippur coincides with a game — as is the case Tuesday against the Red Sox.
It could be a big day at the ballpark, too, for the Red Sox. Boston’s magic number is down to 2 over the Yankees, meaning they can clinch the American League East with a win at any point in the three-game series. It will be interesting to see what happens if the weather plays an issue, though, as there is some rain in the forecast.
