WASHINGTON (AP) — The series opener between the Milwaukee Brewers and Washington Nationals on Friday night was postponed because of rain.
Washington manager Davey Martinez announced the scheduling change during his pregame Zoom call with reporters.
The game will be made up Saturday as part of a split doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. The second game will begin at 7 p.m. Both games will be seven innings and each team will be able to add a player to the roster for each game.
“I personally prefer nine-inning games, but I understand why we are doing it,” Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said. “It helps us out with our pitching (Saturday). There’s no question about that. I guess, if I was speaking on this in the offseason, I’d tell you I prefer nine-inning games. On a day like (Saturday), I’m happy there’s two seven-inning games.”
The Nationals are bumping their Friday starter, Jon Lester (0-2, 5.33 ERA), to Saturday. Though, they are yet to determine if he or Patrick Corbin (3-3, 6.13 ERA) will pitch the afternoon game.
Milwaukee will pitch Brett Anderson (2-3, 4.34 ERA), who was to pitch Friday, and Freddy Peralta (4-1, 2.54). The Brewers are also unsure which game will be started by which pitcher. Counsell said he expects Milwaukee’s roster additions to be pitchers.
Rain is forecasted for the entire weekend.
“As we all know, no one can predict the weather,” Martinez said.
NATIONALS CROSS THRESHOLD: Martinez said the Nationals have surpassed the 85 percent vaccination threshold established by Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association needed to relax coronavirus protocols. As of June 1, they will no longer be wearing masks during outdoor games.
“It will be nice to actually be out there and be able to breathe without these things on and seeing everybody smiling and laughing and see their faces,” Martinez said. “It’s going to be awesome. I often talk to my coaches about the normalcy -- it’s going to feel like everything’s normal -- and just focusing on baseball. Now that we got fans coming every day, and when we get back off the road we’re going to have a lot of fans, it’s awesome. It tells me things are getting better.”
The Nationals’ season-opening series with the New York Mets was postponed because of a COVID-19 outbreak within the team.
TRAINER’S ROOM: Nationals center fielder Victor Robles (right ankle sprain) was scheduled to run the bases Friday. Instead, he will run the bases Saturday, should the weather allow use of the field. Robles was placed on the 10-day injured list May 23, retroactive to May 20. … Washington reliever Will Harris (right hand inflammation) met with a doctor in Dallas to consider next steps. The injury to his pitching hand first put him on the 10-day injured list April 1. He was sent back to the injured list May 23 after throwing just six innings. “At this point, they gave him a few options. I want to talk to Will before I say anything more about it,” Martinez said. … Milwaukee’s Daniel Robertson left Thursday’s game with left calf cramps. Counsell said Robertson received treatment Thursday and Friday. “We’re a little concerned,” Counsell said.
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