Yanks-Braves set for Wed. DH after rainout

August 26th, 2020

The Yankees were already bracing for what they expected to be a challenging stretch, their schedule impacted by several postponements that will require doubleheaders. Now they have added one more to the pile.

Tuesday’s game between the Yankees and Braves at Truist Park was postponed due to inclement weather. It will be made up on Wednesday, when the clubs play a doubleheader beginning at 4:10 p.m. ET. As with all doubleheaders this season, both games are scheduled for seven innings. The second game is scheduled to being 40 minutes after the first game ends or at 7:10 p.m., whichever is latest.

“It’s 2020, baby,” manager Aaron Boone said. “We’ve got to figure it out. It creates a challenge. The seven-inning games makes it a little more doable, not as daunting, but there’s no question we’re heading into a tough stretch here. We just have to keep our minds right and put our best foot forward.”

Boone said that the Yankees plan to start right-hander Gerrit Cole in Wednesday’s first game, with right-hander Masahiro Tanaka on the hill in the nightcap. Atlanta will go with right-hander Ian Anderson, making his Major League debut, in the first game. Left-hander Max Fried is set to pitch the second game.

After the Yankees complete their Interleague Series with the Braves, they will have an off-day on Thursday before playing doubleheaders against the Mets on Friday and Sunday, with a single game scheduled for Saturday. They’ll play 22 games in the next 19 days; following this week, Sept. 14 is the Yanks’ only scheduled break prior to the postseason.

“Given the situation that we're in this year, you kind of have to be OK with it,” Tanaka said through a translator. “These are unusual things that are happening. Having a certain number of games in a short period of time, I think that's definitely going to be a little bit tough on the players.”