Blue Jays-Yankees finale postponed by rain
No immediate announcement on when game will be made up
NEW YORK -- Persistent morning rain washed away the Yankees' finale against the Blue Jays before it even started on Sunday, and no makeup date has been announced. New York won the first two games of the series and will resume its season Monday against the Orioles with CC Sabathia on the mound.
"We're not going to be able to start until 9 o'clock," said manager Joe Girardi of the weather forecast. "For us to sit around here waiting until 9 o'clock, I don't know how much sense that makes."
Girardi had known about the inclement weather all morning, and he had said that the field may well be unplayable during his pregame media session. The rain never abated on Sunday morning, cycling between a heavy drizzle and a downpour, and Girardi said it was evident it wouldn't stop.
"We talked about the weather," said Girardi, who consulted with umpires and team executives. "We weren't necessarily looking for a rainout. We don't like doubleheaders. ... It's not going to be playable."
The Blue Jays will next visit Yankee Stadium for a three-game set on Aug. 20-22, and both teams have an off-day Aug. 19. For now, there is no announcement on when the game will be made up.
The Yankees will shift their rotation as a result of the postponement. Sabathia, who had been scheduled to start Sunday against Toronto, will instead pitch the series opener against Baltimore. Phil Hughes will pitch on Tuesday, and Hiroki Kuroda will pitch the series finale.
Vidal Nuno, who had originally been scheduled to pitch on Tuesday, is the player most affected by the change. Nuno will work out of the bullpen the next few days and will likely start next weekend against Tampa Bay. The left-hander hasn't pitched since a start on May 13.
Sabathia said he got to throw on flat ground and that he didn't get too far into his preparation process before Sunday's game was postponed. For Sabathia, the early cancellation marked the best-case scenario, because it means he didn't have to waste a start or pitch through a rain delay.
"I'm not very intense before I pitch, so either way, I wasn't really worried about it," he said. "They were saying there was a chance we wouldn't play, but you always want to get ready and make sure."