Rain spoils Yanks...again
BALTIMORE — Weather continues to wreak havoc on the Yankees, who will have to play a split doubleheader against the Orioles on Aug. 25 after Sunday’s game was postponed due to rain. The Bombers have already had seven postponements — including being snowed out of their homeopener April 2 against the Rays — along with one suspended game this season, and it’s barely June.
They then ran into issues getting out of rainy Baltimore later Sunday, when their team charter was delayed a little more than two hours past their original 5 p.m. takeoff time due to radar problems.
As a result of the Yankees’ latest postponement, Sunday’s scheduled starter, Domingo German, will pitch in the second game of the team’s split doubleheader on Monday in Detroit at 7:05 p.m. Luis Severino will go in the first game at 1:05 p.m. CC Sabathia and Sonny Gray will then pitch on Tuesday and Wednesday in Toronto, as previously slated. The Bombers have their next off-day on Thursday.
“Obviously it’s not ideal, but it’s not the worst thing from a pitching standpoint,” Aaron Boone said.
Adam Warren (back) could be activated for the Detroit doubleheader, though nothing has been finalized on that front. The Bombers will call up outfielder Clint Frazier as their 26th man. Gleyber Torres (wrist) is fine after being hit by a pitch in Saturday’s game, and was slated to play on Sunday had there been a game, Boone said.
The Yankees will also have to play a pair of games on June 18 in Washington — starting with the resumption of their May 15 suspended game, which is tied 3-3, and heading into the bottom of the sixth inning.
The Bombers then have another doubleheader in Baltimore on July 9 due to Thursday’s game being postponed due to rain as well.
Boone is still upset about the fact that the Yankees are on Sunday Night Baseball on July 8 at 8 p.m. in Toronto the day before. The first game of the Orioles doubleheader is scheduled to start at 4:05 p.m.
“No, I haven’t heard anything (from baseball) about that,” Boone said. “But hopefully it’s still happening behind the scenes a little bit. Hopefully there’s some pressure being applied because it’s just not good for the product on the field and the safety of our guys having to go night game, flight, into a doubleheader. That’s ridiculous and anyone that would argue with that is, I think, not being truthful.”
According to a source, MLB is looking into it and trying to find solutions in an attempt to try and make the best of a difficult situation.
One possible solution could be to move the Yankees-Blue Jays game back to 1:05 p.m. and move the AngelsDodgers game that day into the Sunday Night Baseball slot. The Angels are off the next day, while the Dodgers are in San Diego for a night game. And because it’s a West Coast game, it would be taking place at 5:05 p.m. PT.
If the schedule stays as is, the Yankees wouldn’t arrive in Baltimore until the wee hours of the morning before maybe getting some quick rest in at the team hotel and then heading to the ballpark.
Still, the game is locked in as of now. “Well, unlock it,” Boone responded. oone has never been through anything like this with regard to the plethora of weather problems his team has faced. Granted, it hasn’t turned him into an amateur meteorologist just yet. “This seems wild,” Boone said. “I’ve never looked at weather reports and radars so much in my life. And I’m not getting any better at reading them.”
B