NEW YORK (AP) — The decisive Game 5 of the AL Dihvision Series between the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians was postponed by rain and rescheduled for Tuesday at 4:07 p.m.
Both teams took batting practice Monday ahead of the scheduled 7:07 p.m. start. Major League Baseball announced a delay at 6:20 p.m., rain started falling at 7:30 p.m. and the postponement was announced at 9:38 p.m.
“If weather is an issue, I don’t want to be powering through that necessarily,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said around 4 p.m.
Cleveland outfielder Myles Straw, who got into an angry confrontation with Yankees fans in April, exchanged football tosses with fans in the first and second decks during the delay, as did backup outfielder Will Brennan.
The center field video board showed split screen coverage of New York City's 3-0 win over Miami in the Major League Soccer playoffs, the New York Rangers' NHL game against the Anaheim Ducks and the Denver Broncos' NFL matchup vs. the San Diego Chargers.
This was the second postponement of the series following Game 2 at Yankee Stadium being pushed back a day until Friday.
Cleveland or New York will start the AL Championship Series at Houston on Wednesday night.
Aaron Civale had been scheduled to start Monday for the Guardians and Jameson Taillon for the Yankees. The postponement allows the possibility for Cleveland ace Shane Bieber and New York All-Star Nestor Cortes to start on three days' rest.
After losing last week's opener, Cleveland won Games 2 and 3, overcoming a two-run deficit in the ninth inning to win Game 3 by 6-5. The Yankees won 4-2 on Sunday night in Cleveland to force the series back to New York.
New York gets a day for its beleaguered bullpen to rest.
New York used Clay Holmes for 17 pitches and Wandy Peralta for seven on Sunday, a night after Peralta threw 27, Clarke Schmidt 12, Jonathan Loáisiga 15 and Lou Trivino seven.
The Yankees are missing Chad Green, Scott Effress, Zack Britton, Michael King and Ron Marinaccio because of injuries, and Aroldis Chapman was dropped after failing to show up for a mandatory Oct. 7 workout.
Cleveland has not used its top relievers since Friday, when All-Star closer Emmanuel Classe threw 33 pitches after Trevor Stephan had 21 and James Karinchak 29.
The Guardians used Sam Hentges (31), Enyel De Los Santos (19) and Eli Morgan (12) on Saturday, and Morgan (23), Cody Morris (22) and Zach Plesac (11) on Saturday.
Cortes threw 92 pitches over five innings Friday. Bieber threw 101 pitches over 5 2/3 innings in the same game.
PLAYING THE FIELD
New York slugger Giancarlo Stanton could see time in left field in Houston if the Yankees advance. He has been limited to DH and pinch hitting, and he last played the outfield on July 21, before he went on the injured list for a month with left Achilles tendinitis.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: Marinaccio (right shin) and fellow RHP Frankie Montas (right shoulder inflammation) could be available if the Yankees face Houston. Marinaccio last pitched Oct. 2 and Montas on Sept 16. ... OF Andrew Benintendi, who hasn’t played since Sept. 2, had an injection for his right wrist and probably would not be available against the Astros.
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