BALTIMORE — Steady rain in Baltimore created the possibility of a delay or postponement of the Detroit Tigers–Baltimore Orioles series opener scheduled for 7:15 p.m. Friday, May 22, at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The forecast called for rain through Friday night, all day Saturday and into Sunday afternoon, potentially affecting all three games of the series.

Rain began around 10 a.m. Friday in Baltimore and continued into the afternoon. As of 4:45 p.m., it was still raining with less than three hours until first pitch. The rain is expected to stop around 2 p.m. Sunday.

Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said the team would weigh the risks of starting a game that might be interrupted. "Nobody wants to start a game with the prediction that you're going to get pulled off the field, whether that's volume or intensity, because you could lose starters and players. We'll have a big discussion about it before the game, and we'll see," he said.

On the question of pregame preparation in wet conditions, Hinch said: "Generally speaking, you don't want to warm up in the rain. But if we don't want to warm up in the rain, we may not warm up for 72 hours."

Right-hander Jack Flaherty was scheduled to start for the Tigers. Left-handed reliever Keegan Akin was scheduled to start for the Orioles, with right-hander Chris Bassitt lined up to cover the majority of the innings.

The Tigers entered the series with a 20-31 record, in last place in the American League Central, and had lost 14 of their previous 16 games. The Orioles entered the series with a 21-29 record, in last place in the American League East.