MLB Players Overcome by Extreme Heat — How HeatSense Could Have Made a

Major League Baseball Faced a Heat Test—Here’s How Data Could Have Helped

This past weekend, Major League Baseball wasn’t just battling rival teams—it was battling the heat. During a dangerous heat wave stretching across the Midwest, multiple players and staff were visibly affected by the extreme conditions.

In St. Louis, Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz showed signs of heat-related strain. In Chicago, Mariners reliever Trent Thornton exited the game early after feeling ill, and umpire Chad Whitson was unable to continue.

These weren’t isolated incidents—they were warnings.

What Was the Heat Actually Like?

The air temperatures alone were punishing:

St. Louis: 92°F at game time
Chicago: 94°F at first pitch

But Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT)—a more comprehensive measure of environmental heat stress—tells a fuller story:

St. Louis (June 22)

Estimated WBGT: 85–89°F
Category: 3
Risk: Elevated heat stress likely in under 30 minutes
Suggested Actions: Frequent rest breaks (~40 minutes per hour) and proactive cooling measures

Chicago (June 22)

Estimated WBGT: 88–91°F
Category: High Category 3 to borderline Category 4
Risk: Significant stress exposure—guidelines recommend modifying or suspending outdoor activity

Despite these conditions, games proceeded without scheduled cooling breaks or real-time individual monitoring.

What Could HeatSense Have Supported?

This is where real-time heat data from a tool like HeatSense can provide value—not with guesswork, but with visibility and early alerts that empower informed decisions:

Challenge	How HeatSense Could Help
Prolonged heat exposure with no live feedback	WBGT monitoring could support adjustments to activity and recovery periods
Uncertainty about which players were most affected	Wearable sensors track each athlete’s heat strain markers like core temp, heart rate, and skin temp
No centralized view for staff	A team dashboard could show rising indicators across athletes, helping staff prioritize support
Delayed action until symptoms appear	AI-driven alerts can flag early heat strain trends before they become critical

The Bottom Line

These games were played in conditions that safety guidelines classify as high risk for heat-related stress after just 20–30 minutes. Yet players remained on the field for hours—raising serious concerns about long-term athlete well-being.

HeatSense doesn’t wait for a collapse to take action. It helps staff and teams see strain before it escalates.

In a hotter, more unpredictable world, proactive heat visibility isn’t just helpful—it’s becoming essential.

MLB Players Overcome by Extreme Heat — How HeatSense Could Have Made a Difference