NOW IT’S OFFICIAL
Yanks start vs. Nats, hop on Subway in late August
As expected, the Yankees will open their coronavirus-shortened season July 23 against the defending World Series champion Nationals at Nationals Park. The matchup between the Yankees, who are expected to start new ace Gerrit Cole, and Washington, which is expecting Max Scherzer to go, begins a three-game series in D.C. with an off day on July 24.
MLB announced its 60game schedule Monday night. The schedules, condensed after a three-month hiatus because of the national crisis, have the Yankees playing 40 games against their American League East rivals and 20 against National League East teams.
That includes six games against their crosstown rival Mets, beginning in Queens Aug. 21-23. The Mets come to the Bronx Aug. 28-30.
The Rays, a young, scrappy and hungry club that looks like the biggest challenger to the Yankees’ division title, come to the Bronx Aug. 18 and again on Aug. 31, both for three games.
The Red Sox come into Yankee Stadium July 31st for the Yankees’ first divisional games, a three-game series. Boston comes into the Bronx again Aug. 14-17, but the Yan kees only make one trip up to Fenway for a three-game series Aug. 18-20.
The Yankees head to Baltimore to face the Orioles for the first time Aug. 3 for a three-game series, followed by a trip to Tampa to face the Rays over four games on Aug. 6-9.
The Yankees don’t see the Blue Jays, another young and scrappy team, until Sept. 7 and then they see them for 10 games in the final 20 days.
The Yankees make two trips to Toronto, the first for a three-game series Sept. 7-10 and then for four games beginning Sept. 21. The Blue Jays come to the Bronx Sept. 15-17.
In other interleague games, the Yankees face the Phillies, and former manager Joe Girardi, on the way back home from the opening series in D.C. for two games July 27 and 28. They open at home against the same Phillies July 29 and 30.
The Yankees will also play the Braves four times, a twogame series beginning Aug. 11 at home and another two
gamer Aug. 25-26 in SunTrust Park. They finish the season with three games in the Bronx against the Marlins, Sept. 25-27.
Among the schedule highlights:
● The St. Louis Cardinals take on the Chicago White Sox next to the “Field of Dreams” cornfield outside Dyersville, Iowa, on Aug. 13.
● Jackie Robinson Day, usually celebrated on April 15, will be held Aug. 28 — that's the date the Rev. Martin Luther King led the March on Washington in 1963, and also the date Brooklyn Dodgers owner Branch Rickey talked to Robinson in 1945 about a future in the majors.
● Roberto Clemente Day will be held Sept. 9.
● The 100th anniversary of the Negro Leagues will be celebrated on Aug. 16.
● Oakland pitcher Mike Fiers will get his first look at his former Houston teammates on Aug. 7 at the empty Coliseum. Fiers blew the whistle on the Astros' sign-stealing scam, which dominated baseball talk throughout the winter before the virus shut down the sport.