Yankees, Guardians on midge alert as ALDS heads to Cleveland

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The New York Yankees and the Cleveland Guardians are battling for the right to play in the ALCS, but another opponent is lurking. 

Midges, also known as chironomids, according to Britannica, invaded Cleveland during the 2007 ALDS and are back again as the 2022 series returns to Ohio. 

Joba Chamberlain is visited by Joe Torre in 2007 as he is surrounded by bugs on the mound. (Ron Antonelli/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)

In 2007, midges swarmed Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain in the eighth inning of Game 2, clearly bothering the right-hander as he threw two wild pitches, and the Cleveland Indians won in 11 innings. 

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The insects could pose a problem again after a weekend in which the midges invaded FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland during an NFL matchup between the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Chargers Sunday. 

The ALDS matchup heads to Cleveland Saturday for Game 3 with Game 4 scheduled for Sunday at Progressive Field. 

View of the field during a wild-card series game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field Oct. 7, 2022, in Cleveland.  (Ben Jackson/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

"I was at the Browns game on Sunday after the wild-card series, and they were out in full force. And it was the middle of the day. So I can only imagine when we get back," Cleveland Guardians Game 3 starter Triston McKenzie said Friday. "When you try to swat them away, they don't care, and they will land on you anyway. I don't even know how to explain it. That's the best way to explain it. They will land on you.

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