NEW YORK — Monday night, the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians were supposed to finish up their ALDS matchup with Game 5 at Yankee Stadium. Unfortunately, inclement weather caused the game to first be delayed and then, after more than two hours, postponed until Tuesday. First pitch is now scheduled for 4:07 p.m ET.
MLB makes all weather-related decisions in the postseason and the league had been meeting every hour or so since 6 p.m. ET. First pitch on Monday was originally scheduled for 7:07 p.m. ET.
“I think everybody was on the same page when we spoke,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said about MLB’s afternoon calls with the two teams. “As long as we can play the game and not have it look like it’s going to get interrupted and have that force a little bit of an outcome, (we’d) like to play.”
It’s worth remembering that Game 2 of the ALDS was postponed due to rain, forcing the Yankees and Guardians to play Games 2-5 on four consecutive days. The teams should be in the clear on Tuesday, though, with things set to be sunny and in the mid-50s.
Tuesday was originally scheduled to be an off day for whichever team advanced to the ALCS. The winner will now have to travel to Houston following an afternoon game in order to play Game 1 of the ALCS against the Astros on Wednesday.
The Yankees were supposed to start righty Jameson Taillon (14-5, 3.91 ERA) in Game 5, however, they’ll take advantage of the extra day to instead start Nestor Cortes (12-4, 2.44 ERA). The Guardians, meanwhile, were to counter with righty Aaron Civale (5-6, 4.92 ERA). It’s unclear if the Guardians will follow suit and start Shane Bieber, thereby recreating the Game 2 matchup.
