Astros postseason 2023: Outdoor Minute Maid Park games may mean higher-scoring contests than indoor

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The Houston Astros have played a grand total of two games this year with Minute Maid Park's roof open.

The roof policy at the Juice Box is clearly designed to favor a closed-roof game, and by all accounts, that's how the Astros prefer it because the closed roof leads to a louder ballpark and a greater home-field advantage.

All of that makes perfect sense, but what would happen if we eliminated the fan advantage of the closed roof and just considered how the weather itself could change the game based on an open or shut enclosure?

Here in Houston, an open roof would typically lead to warmer air in place, which in turn would lead to higher-scoring games.

Here's why: the temperature a game is played has a direct impact on how dense the air is, with hot air being "thin air," and cold air games having more dense air in place.

That change in air density between a hot game vs. a cold game - or air-conditioned game - means that when the roof is open and hot air is flowing through the ballpark, there is less air resistance on a well-hit ball, which carries significantly farther than a ball hit at the same velocity in cooler air.

The difference in how far a ball carries won't impact every at-bat, but a few times a game, it could be the difference between a home run and a warning track out.

Looking ahead to Game 6, the first-pitch temperature will be steamy at about 80 degrees. If MLB orders an open roof in Houston, fans can expect that warm air to contribute to a few more home runs hit and a few more runs scored.

For weather updates, follow Kevin Roth on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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