The start of the baseball season in New York and Philadelphia has been pushed to Friday due to forecasts of rain in both cities.
Pete Alonso and the New York Mets were supposed to host the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday, but due to rainy weather, the game has been rescheduled to Friday, while the Dodgers and Padres began the season in Seoul, South Korea last week.
The Mets announced on Wednesday that their game on Thursday in Queens would be moved to Friday at 1:40 p.m. due to the expected wet weather.
The Philadelphia Phillies also postponed their sold-out opener against the Atlanta Braves from Thursday to Friday at 3:05 p.m. because of anticipated rain.
Milwaukee's new manager, Pat Murphy, expressed preference for ensuring the safety of the players amidst uncertain weather and the impact on pitching schedules, acknowledging the necessity of adjusting the game days.
Both New York and Milwaukee practiced under cloudy skies at Citi Field on Wednesday.
Despite the eagerness to start, manager Pat Murphy acknowledged that the delay is part of the six-month season and that experienced players understand the situation.
Pat Murphy took over as manager after Craig Counsell moved to the Chicago Cubs, who are rivals of the NL Central champions.
New York's new first-timer, Carlos Mendoza, looked forward to the upcoming game before its postponement, anticipating a mix of emotions.
Milwaukee is giving Freddy Peralta his first opening-day start after trading their No.1 starter, Corbin Burnes, and new Mets pitcher, Jose Quintana, will be without Kodai Senga due to injury.
Jose Quintana, originally from Colombia, recently became an American citizen.
The 65-year-old Murphy stated that player safety is more crucial than his own concerns and expressed that age has quelled any anxiety he may have had.
The Phillies and Braves will have Zack Wheeler and Spencer Strider as the starting pitchers in their game on Friday.
The Braves have had a strong record against the Phillies, finishing well ahead in the past two years, although the Phillies ended Atlanta’s postseason both times.
BREWERS UPDATE
Milwaukee's Wade Miley faced simulated at-bats at Citi Field and will start the season on the injured list, aiming for a return in April for a series in Cincinnati.
Experienced power hitter J.D. Martinez, who was signed late during spring training, is staying in Florida at the team's facility while the rest of the team traveled to New York. The 36-year-old designated hitter is practicing hitting against his new teammates and running the bases as he prepares to join the games.
According to Mendoza, Martinez will stay in Port St. Lucie, Florida, for about a week to 10 days before deciding on the next move with the team. It's unlikely that he will play for the Mets until at least April 7.
METS UPDATE
Mendoza commented, "When we have him, our lineup will be much stronger."
The baseball season openers in New York and Philadelphia have been postponed until Friday due to rainy weather forecasts in both cities.
“When we get him, it’s going to be a lot deeper lineup,” Mendoza said.
