Rain postpones series opener against Royals

DETROIT -- The Tigers had amazingly avoided the early-season postponements other teams have suffered this season despite the miserable Midwestern weather. That run is over. Tuesday's series opener between the Tigers and Royals was postponed due to rain. No makeup date was announced.

Though Tuesday night's forecast called for a cold front to bring steady rain to Detroit for most of the evening and into Wednesday, the forecast was iffy on when the rain would begin. The hope was that the system would hold off long enough for the game to begin in dry weather, then play through the rain.

Those plans were thwarted when rain began falling on Comerica Park shortly before game time. Though a window of dry weather briefly appeared on the radar, it soon closed. The game was postponed less than 20 minutes later.

Tuesday's scheduled starters, Max Scherzer and Wade Davis, will start Wednesday's game instead. While the Tigers pushed everybody back a day in their rotation, the Royals will skip Luis Mendoza, who was originally scheduled to start Wednesday.

That sets up a Thursday afternoon battle of aces Justin Verlander and James Shields.

The Royals return to Detroit for weekend series in August and September, the earlier one a four-game set. The two teams could schedule a doubleheader during one of those series, or schedule it on a common off-day. They both have an off-day Aug. 19, after the four-game series, but playing then would require player approval, since it would have both teams playing about four weeks between off-days.

All paid tickets for Tuesday's rainout for will be honored at the makeup game. No ticket exchange is necessary.