The New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies began the second half of the season under unexpected circumstances. Wildfires in Canada produced massive amounts of smoke that blanketed large parts of New York City and Philadelphia. The smoke not only affected play but also made it difficult to breathe, as poor air quality combined with rising temperatures created challenging conditions. Amid this, Congressman Nick Langworthy called for stronger measures to be put in place.

“I am reaching out to Members of Parliament and the Canadian Ambassador to demand answers about the devastating impact Canada’s forest management failures are having on Western New York, the Southern Tier, and communities across the United States. Millions of Americans are paying the price for policies they had no role in creating,” Langworthy wrote on X, while noting how the Canadian wildfires have become an “annual public health crisis” for Americans.

“Canada must take meaningful action to prevent these catastrophic wildfires and protect both Canadians and Americans. If it refuses to do so, there should be consequences. Our citizens should not be forced to suffer because another nation’s government failed to do its job,” he added.

Langworthy held the Canadian government responsible for its inability to manage the wildfires and for endangering the health of thousands of people.

Canada’s 2026 wildfire season intensified by the end of June, and by mid-July, nearly 850 fires were actively burning across the country. Of those, close to 180 were concentrated in Ontario. As a result, officials reportedly issued evacuation orders for several communities in the province. As of July 14, wildfires across Canada had burned approximately 1.9 million hectares since the start of the year.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, the Mets defeated the Phillies 4-1. But they not only had to overcome their opponents, but they also had to battle low visibility. Brett Baty fought through itchy eyes to launch a solo home run, while Francisco Alvarez added two solo homers to help secure the Mets’ victory.

Fielders also faced problems locating flyballs and pop-ups in the game. In fact, the Mets’ interim manager, Andy Green, had trouble watching from the dugout.

“It felt like it could have [affected the game] at any moment, especially as visibility got tougher,” Green said, per SNY. “Guys managed to see baseballs that I couldn’t when they went up in the air as pop-ups. Good thing we have good athletes on the field who can see things. Don’t think it ultimately did, from my perspective.”

However, the most significant impact the poor air quality had on the game was on its schedule. The first pitch was moved up by an hour to 6:10 p.m. And throughout Thursday’s game, the umpires repeatedly asked players if they were facing any trouble playing in those unhealthy conditions.

Players reveal their experience of battling through smoke

Despite the poor air quality, both the Mets and the Phillies squads managed to complete the game, and once done, players recounted the difficulties they faced at various points in time.

“I didn’t think it was bad until the last couple of innings. Eyes itching, burning a little bit,” Brett Baty summarized, per SNY. “[Carson] Benge said it felt like you were sitting at a campfire, just close to a campfire, which was pretty good. It’s fun, but it didn’t feel great playing ball with it, though.”

Despite his itching eyes, Baty went 2-for-4 and drove in a run with his solo homer for the Mets.

Christian Scott, who took the win with his 5.2 innings on the mound, also faced trouble breathing.

“Not gonna lie, towards the end of it, it was a little thick. I felt like I was breathing some metal in there,” Scott reportedly said. “At the end of the day, a little spoonful of adversity never hurt anybody. Part of the game. It was fun playing out there. The stadium was packed, good atmosphere. Yeah, it was fun.”

After striking out seven hitters and allowing only 3 hits, Scott ended the day with a 3-1 record and a 2.87 ERA.

Bryce Harper, who went 1-for-3 while drawing a walk, said the conditions at Citizens Bank Park were not ideal for playing.

“It’s definitely different,” Harper remarked, per The Athletic. “They don’t really move games too much. Not the greatest idea, I guess, to come out here and play in this type of weather. But we’re doing it.”

One game was manageable, but repeatedly playing in such conditions is not ideal.