NEW YORK — Baseball openers in New York and Philadelphia were postponed a day until Friday because of rainy forecasts in both cities.
Pete Alonso and the New York Mets were scheduled to host the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday afternoon — a day featuring the first full slate of major league games this year — but with wet weather expected in Queens, the game was pushed back to Friday at 1:40 p.m. ET.
Minutes later, the Philadelphia Phillies announced their sold-out opener against the NL East rival Atlanta Braves was moved from Thursday at 3:05 p.m. ET to Friday at the same time due to anticipated rain.
“I’d rather play when it’s safe for the guys, obviously,” new Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy said. “Our pitching is a moving target a little bit, you know what I mean? So it’s nicer to have those off days in between, to be honest. But you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do.”
New York and Milwaukee both worked out Wednesday under a cloudy sky at Citi Field.
“Obviously, everybody’s anxious to get going,” Murphy said. “But it’s a six-month season. … It’s all part of it. They understand it.”
After trading No. 1 starter Corbin Burnes, a three-time All-Star and the 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner, Milwaukee gives Freddy Peralta his first career start on Opening Day.
Jose Quintana goes for the Mets, who are without 2023 NL Rookie of the Year runner-up Kodai Senga because of a shoulder strain. Senga recently began playing catch again, but he’s not expected back until at least late April or May — possibly longer.
When the Phillies and Braves play Friday, right-handers Zack Wheeler and Spencer Strider will square off in an NL East matchup.
Reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. and the Braves finished 14 games ahead of Philadelphia each of the past two years. But the Phillies ended Atlanta’s postseason in Game 4 of a Division Series at Citizens Bank Park both times.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres started the season last week with a two-game series in Seoul, South Korea.
Source: www.espn.com