CHICAGO — A Rangers game was once canceled because of toxic acid fumes. Another game was called off because of high winds in the first inning, even though then-manager Doug Rader apparently offered the opposition a better strategy by fielding a pitcher he described as “the heaviest man in the world.”

But even by the Rangers’ standards of craziness, Tuesday was uncharted territory.

The Rangers, on pace for one of the worst records by a defending World Series champion in history, and the White Sox, flirting with the worst record of the 162-game era, began a game in the rain at Guaranteed Rate Field and managed exactly four pitches before the heavens decided, “Nah, I’m not watching that tonight.”

The game was postponed one minute after the official first pitch and then suspended 90 minutes later as thunderstorms still hovered over the stadium. It will resume at 4:10 p.m. Wednesday with no outs in the first inning and a 2-2 count for leadoff hitter Marcus Semien and will be played as a doubleheader.

Major League Baseball changed the rules for suspensions and postponements after 2020, making this the shortest suspension game in history. According to Retrosheet, the previous earliest suspension was a Mets-Marlins game in 2021 that was halted after nine pitches and one out.

The game began with a rainstorm that came on quicker than expected. Team officials were informed before the scheduled start that a few showers might arrive around 8 p.m. According to MLB officials, the weather changed drastically in the moments before first pitch. Then the storm lasted longer than expected. When the clubs were informed that the window to resume play would not open until around 10 p.m., both clubs requested that the game be suspended and resumed as a doubleheader on Wednesday. Since it is now a doubleheader, teams can add a 27th man to the roster for the second game.

“It just came fast,” said manager Bruce Bochy, who swore he had had a game postponed sooner than this one but couldn’t remember it. “I told them, I’m not a weatherman, but it’s not going to rain at 8; it’s going to start at 7:10. And then the drops started falling.”

It was significant as Semien faced highly-rated left-hander Garrett Crochet of the White Sox, and the intensity increased with each pitch, even with the pitch clock still running. After Semien took a 1-2 cutter off the plate for a ball, the umpiring team led by Dan Iassogna waved everyone off the field. Play was suspended at 8:41.

“I saw lightning,” Semien said of what he saw before entering the box to start the game. “When you see that, it’s kind of surprising that they start. Normally you don’t start when you know it’s going to rain.”

Heaney had also warmed up thoroughly in the Rangers’ bullpen in anticipation of his start. He also had questions.

“I’m not a weather expert, but when you see huge black clouds coming, you think it’s going to rain,” he said. “I thought it would come and go quickly.”

That was not the case.

If there was a bright spot for the Rangers in a season that has so far lacked a bright spot, it’s this: They won’t have to face the White Sox’s top hitter, Garrett Crochet. The left-hander, who has had elbow problems in the past, is not expected to play in Tuesday’s resumption of play. Erick Fedde will start the game. The White Sox are not yet scheduled to play in Game 2.

It may not be the strangest delay or suspension in Rangers history. Once, the second game of a doubleheader in Baltimore had to be postponed after a train derailed in a tunnel outside Camden Yards, releasing hydrochloric acid fumes. In 1984, the Rangers had an early-season game in Toronto, then played outdoors at Exhibition Stadium, but it was postponed in the first inning due to extremely high winds.

According to a story from Exhibition Stadium, Rangers manager Doug Rader put Jim Bibby in the game because of the strong wind. Rader was quoted as saying, “He’s the heaviest man in the world, so the wind won’t hurt him.”

Unfortunately, there weren’t even any funny quotes on Tuesday.

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