Yankees, Guardians rained out, split doubleheader Saturday

CLEVELAND — As the New York Yankees watched with amusement, two imposters dressed as sluggers Aaron Judge and Anthony Rizzo ran into the rain-soaked outfield before performing belly slides on the infield tarp.

Once again, Cleveland was under water.

Friday night’s series opener New York and Cleveland was postponed by rain, the latest weather issue for the Guardians, who have already played five doubleheaders at home.

They’ll play their sixth at Progressive Field on Saturday as the teams will have a split doubleheader, starting at 12:10 p.m. The second game will begin at 6:10 p.m.

Cleveland also played a daynight doubleheader on Tuesday, and the Guardians are scheduled to play a doubleheader Monday in Detroit.

Friday’s game was called at 7:30 p.m. — 20 minutes after the scheduled first pitch — with thousands of fans already inside the ballpark, monitoring the local radar on the giant scoreboard in left field.

Rookie Kirk McCarty (0-1, 10.29 ERA) will start Game 1 for Cleveland against Yankees ace Gerrit Cole (6-2, 2.99). McCarty made his big league debut against New York in April and gave up four runs and four hits in three innings.

Aaron Civale (2-4, 7.20), who was originally slated to start Friday for Cleveland, will start the second game against New York’s Nestor Cortes (6-3, 2.51).

YANKEES REINSTATE CHAPMAN FROM IL

Aroldis Chapman’s got his spot back on the Yankees’ roster. His role coming out of the bullpen remains undefined.

New York reinstated the lefthanded reliever from the injured list on Friday after Chapman missed more than a month with tendinitis in his left Achilles tendon. Chapman, who hasn’t pitched in the majors since May 22, made two minor league rehab appearances at Double-A Somerset and one with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre.

The 34-year-old Chapman was 0-2 with a 3.86 ERA and nine saves in 17 games. He was placed on the IL on May 24.

Before the Yankees opened a three-game series against the Guardians, manager Aaron Boone reiterated that he’ll initially use Chapman in a variety of roles — that could be in the middle innings, late or to close.

Boone said the goal is to get Chapman comfortable.

“I want to get him in a really good place to where he’s pitching somewhat regularly and especially here to start, whatever that situation is, whether it’s low leverage or medium leverage or it could be high leverage because it’s what the game dictates,” Boone said. “He could be closing because the game dictates it.”

NOTES: RHP Jonathan Loaisiga (right shoulder inflammation) will throw live batting practice in Tampa, Florida, on Saturday. He last pitched in the majors on May 22. … RHP Miguel Castro was placed on the paternity list, but is expected to rejoin the team in Pittsburgh on Monday.