OAKLAND -- The Rangers are still waiting to hear from Major League Baseball regarding their three-game series with the Astros that is scheduled to start Tuesday in Houston.
No decision has been made, even though it's increasingly likely the series cannot be played in Houston, which has been hit hard by heavy rains and flooding from Hurricane Harvey.
"First of all, our hearts go out to all the family members, brothers and sisters, people in the Houston area," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. "To go through this, we see the challenges. It breaks your heart to see the video of what lies in front of these people. We are praying for them."
Banister grew up in La Marque, which is south of Houston. Pitching coach Doug Brocail and pitcher Andrew Cashner also have homes in the Greater Houston area.
"This is not a situation where you put baseball in front of what's important to these people," Banister said. "This is no issue for us. Think about these people, their families and what they are going through."
The Rangers and the Astros are both planning to fly to Dallas on Sunday night and will await further word from there. The Astros were also on the West Coast on Sunday, playing the Angels in Anaheim.
"The most important thing is baseball is secondary," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "Our schedule, our flight times, where we're going to be, the buses, all the stuff is meaningless compared to what everybody is suffering. Even talking about game situations is so hollow with people down the street from Minute Maid losing their cars, losing their lives -- their homes are in jeopardy.
"Personally, I don't like it. But I understand that we are sometimes an escape from the rain, an escape from the tragedy, an escape from what's going on around us. The safety of everyone is Number One. The respect for human beings needs to be accounted for as well. It's just a terrible time."
Houston and the Texas coast is currently in an emergency situation with heavy rains and flooding from Hurricane Harvey. The storm has stalled and the heavy rain is expected to continue through the week.
Houston mayor Sylvester Turner said the rain and flooding could last another 4-5 days. More than 1,000 people had to be rescued from their homes overnight Saturday.
"The best thing for us is to allow them to survive through this," Banister said.