Weather washes out Tuesday's game in Detroit
Makeup date will be later in season, not during series now to begin on Wednesday
DETROIT -- The Indians only had two scheduled off-days in April. But Mother Nature has gone out of her way to give Cleveland a few extra days' rest in the first weeks of the season.
Tuesday's scheduled night game against the Tigers was postponed due to inclement weather. Comerica Park still had a pile of snow in shallow center field a few hours before the scheduled first pitch, and the temperature was near freezing.
"When I came out of the hotel," Indians manager Terry Francona said, "and I hate to say this, but I was almost relieved [the game was postponed]. It was cold. I don't like to say that, but it was cold."
The Indians already have had three games postponed due to weather in the young season. The Indians and Tigers, who are to square off 19 times, did not set a makeup date for Tuesday's game. The contest will be made up later in the season, as opposed to during the current series, which is now scheduled to begin on Wednesday at 7:08 p.m. ET and conclude on Thursday at 1:08 p.m. ET.
The Tribe is scheduled to return to the Motor City for three-game sets on July 18-20 and Sept. 12-14.
Francona indicated that right-hander Zach McAllister -- slated to start for the Tribe on Tuesday -- will now pitch on Wednesday. Indians righty Danny Salazar will start on Thursday, followed by Justin Masterson (Friday), Corey Kluber (Saturday) and Carlos Carrasco (Sunday).
Due to the postponement, the Indians and Tigers will hold all Jackie Robinson Day activities, including having each player wear a No. 42 jersey, prior to and during Wednesday's tilt at Comerica Park.
On April 15, 1947, Robinson broke baseball's color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers, becoming the first African-American player in the Major Leagues.
Games against the A's on April 1 and Padres on April 7 were also postponed due to rain. Cleveland has already played two doubleheaders to make up those games, marking the first time since 1992 that the club has played two twin bills in April.
"It's been really odd," said outfielder David Murphy, who signed with the Indians over the winter after spending parts of seven seasons with Texas. "I've been making jokes like, 'Why in the world did I sign to play in this division?' No, it's something that I knew I was getting into.
"They obviously deal with weather up here at this time of year. It's unfortunate, but it's another obstacle you just have to fight through."