The Boston Red Sox are in the middle of a stretch that has completely changed the trajectory of their 2026 season. After what can only be described as a difficult (at best) start to the year, Boston got hot as the first half came to a close and they have now won 11 games in a row to get right back into the middle of the AL playoff race. Unfortunately, the weather in the area is threatening to slow the Red Sox's momentum.
Boston absolutely destroyed Tampa on Friday by the score of 10-0 due, in part, to one of the best games of Carlos Narvaez's young career. The Red Sox are hoping that Patrick Sandoval can at least match his first start of 2026 back on July 9, but we will have to wait a bit longer to find out as this game got officially put in a rain delay well before it was expected to start.
**UPDATE: 5:04 PM EST**
Our long nightmare is over. Players are warming up and it looks like first pitch of this matchup between the Red Sox and Rays will happen arounde 5:10 PM EST.
First pitch is now scheduled for 5:10 p.m. https://t.co/5mEU0GN0is
— Red Sox (@RedSox) July 18, 2026
Red Sox vs. Rays, 7/18/26: When will the game start?
If the Red Sox were willing to call a delay this early, you can bet that the forecast at game time looked particularly not promising. Thankfully, a quick look at the radar seems to show that the rain in the Boston area starts moving out at around 5 PM EST. Best guess is a delay in the 60-90 minute range, but we will just have to see what Mother Nature has in store to be sure.
We will keep this post updated over time with any information that is made available about the delay, including any estimated start times. Get comfortable, Red Sox fans, because odds are good that this matchup between AL East division rivals will happen today. One can only hope that the delay doesn't derail Boston's chances of extending their win streak to 12.
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