DETROIT -- For the second time in eight months, Mother Nature has had the final say in an Indians-Tigers series at Comerica Park. Thursday's finale between Detroit and Cleveland was postponed by heavy rain.
Unlike the previous postponement, which came last September, this game will be made up. It will be rescheduled at a later date, the Tigers announced. The Indians return to Detroit June 30-July 2 and Sept. 1-3. Both teams are off on July 3 and Aug. 31, but a makeup game on either day would force the Indians to play 27 consecutive days or more.
Whenever a makeup date is announced, tickets for Thursday's postponed game will be good for that contest.
The Indians announced right-hander Danny Salazar -- originally slated to pitch on Thursday -- will take the ball in Friday's opener in Kansas City. Righty Josh Tomlin is scheduled to pitch on Saturday against the Royals, but Cleveland has not announced the planned starter for Sunday. That outing will likely go to Trevor Bauer or Triple-A righty Mike Clevinger.
Prior to the rainout, the Indians were in need of a starter for Sunday, considering ace Corey Kluber (lower-back strain) landed on the 10-day disabled list on Wednesday. Now, the Indians have the flexibility of waiting until Tuesday in Toronto to use a fifth starter, if so desired.
After Kluber was placed on the DL, Indians manager Terry Francona said it was "safe to assume" that Clevinger would join the Tribe's rotation soon.
Thursday's postponement came early, and it came as no surprise. Forecasts called for heavy rain and increasing winds all day as a storm system crept across downtown Detroit on Thursday morning. With both teams headed out of town -- the Tigers embark on a West Coast trip in Oakland, while the Indians continue their three-city road trip in Kansas City on Friday -- there was little interest in waiting for a dry patch that seemed like a long shot at best.