Though nothing has been announced yet, game four of the ALCS between the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros will likely be rained out. If it is rained out, game four would be played on Thursday and game five would be played Friday, eliminating the scheduled off-day. Games six and seven would go on as planned on Saturday and Sunday in Houston.
Both teams are planning to pitch a bullpen game in game four. The only positive thing from Aaron Boone’s awful managing is that everybody but Luis Cessa will be available on Wednesday if they play. Cessa pitched two shutout innings in game three, throwing 35 pitches. They would only go to him in an emergency.
We don’t know the official starter, but it’s safe to say that it would be Chad Green. The Astros also haven’t announced a starter.
What A Wednesday Rainout Does
The forecast shows rain setting in around 2PM in the Bronx and staying there until about midnight. With that, there’s no real way to move the game up or push it back.
Assuming there is a rainout, the ball would go back to Masahiro Tanaka and Zack Greinke on Thursday. It would be so huge having Tanaka pitch a must-win game four. Both guys would be on normal rest.
Then come Friday, James Paxton and Justin Verlander would pitch game five. It would be huge for the Yankees being able to face him at home.
Come game six, both teams would probably do their bullpen game. Gerrit Cole and Luis Severino would be on three days rest, and I can’t see them going in game six. If anything, the Yankees would even go to JA Happ or do some type of piggyback start with him and CC Sabathia.
If a game seven is played, Severino and Cole would pitch that game.
A rainout is likely on Wednesday night, and if it happens, it will help the Yankees a lot.