Yanks, O's rescheduled for Thursday (Sep 07, 2017)
BALTIMORE -- The series finale between the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees was rained out Wednesday night, and with much better weather in the forecast, the two teams will play on Thursday at 1:35 p.m. at Camden Yards.
The starting pitchers will remain the same, with Kevin Gausman (10-9, 4.79 ERA) going for Baltimore versus New York's Sonny Gray (8-9, 3.36, with Oakland and the Yankees combined).
These teams have split the first two games of the series, with the Orioles (71-68) winning in dramatic fashion Tuesday -- a contest that was delayed at the start by two hours, 14 minutes by rain -- thanks to Manny Machado's walk-off two-run homer. Both are in the hunt for the playoffs, so this game needed to be rescheduled.
Baltimore and the Yankees (74-64) both lose an off-day due to this game being moved back a day, and the official announcement came around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, just about two hours before the scheduled starting time.
"Our priority (was) to try and play tonight," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said, just before the cancellation was announced. "(We want) to try to be fair to both teams."
It had been raining in Baltimore most of the day and the weather forecast was much better for Thursday (low 70s and sunny), so it's easy to see why the move was made. The Tuesday game did not start until 9:19 p.m. and did not end until nearly 1 a.m., and the forecast for Wednesday night didn't look much better.
"I don't think you want to stick around and maybe start a game at midnight, and then not know exactly when it's going to stop raining," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "It's probably best for (all)."
This was Baltimore's first postponement at home this year although the Orioles have had 18 rain delays already.
Girardi said that he wouldn't be changing much with his lineup on Thursday. Gray has struggled against Baltimore at Camden Yards, with an 0-3 career record plus a 7.53 ERA in three starts there. Overall against the Orioles, Gray is 1-3 with a 5.57 earned run average.
This will be his first start versus Baltimore this year.
Girardi also said that the Yankees will place pitcher Adam Warren on the 10-day disabled list due to lower back pain. It's an issue that started on Sunday, and New York left him at home Monday to be tested. Doctors recommended two weeks of rest.
The skipper also liked the way Aroldis Chapman threw in Tuesday's loss. Chapman retired the Orioles in order, and Girardi said he would have considered using him back in the closer's role if the game had been played on Wednesday.
But Girardi stopped short of saying he is giving the closer job back to Chapman even after Dellin Betances gave up Machado's walk-off blast Tuesday.
"We need (Chapman)," Girardi said. "I would not be afraid to use him at any point. The best thing about all of this is Chappy has thrown the ball well the last two times, and I'd say last night's probably been as good as we've seen in a while."
The Orioles will be getting some bullpen help Thursday as right-hander Mike Wright comes up from Triple-A Norfolk. Wright can help the Orioles in long relief, where Miguel Castro has been their big gun for the last several weeks.
Showalter also said Tuesday that the Orioles are hoping to get shortstop J.J. Hardy off the disabled list Friday after battling elbow problems. He has been on the 60-day disabled list (broken wrist), and the elbow issue came from batting practice. Hardy recently received a cortisone shot.
Gausman has a 7-4 record with a 3.18 in 21 career appearances, including 15 starts, against the Yankees. He is 1-1 with an 8.38 ERA in four starts against New York this season.
