UPDATE, 6:55: The Rays will keep their pitching plans in order, with Yonny Chirinos starting the first game and Charlie Morton the second. The Yankees will use Domingo German in the opener and either a reliever or a callup for the second game, pushing lefty J.A. Happ back. Cash said they were still deciding on their 26th man.
UPDATE, 6:34: Tonight’s game has been called off due to the threat of severe weather; the teams will play a straight doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. on Thursday.
UPDATE, 6:14: Cash said there would be a meeting at 6:30 about the weather and whether they would play, or if there would be a postponement and a DH on Thursday. ... Though the losses have been tough Cash said one slight benefit could be for the players to gain some experience of playing in the playoff-style atmosphere. ... Cash said there was no specific reason for batting Kiermaier cleanup; Kiermaier said it was cool since he had hit in every other spot in the order.
DEVELOPING: With a thrilling win on Monday in the series opener and a crushing loss and Tuesday, the Rays are set to play game three of the four-game showdown series with the Yankees tonight, weather permitting.
Heavy rain is in the forecast for the New York area tonight, including a severe thunderstorm watch, but the question will be when the the storms make it to the Bronx. The forecast start of the rain has been pushed back throughout the day, and the latest projections per weather.com are in the 9 p.m. range.
With the Yankees starting righty Domingo German, the Rays have all five of their lefties in the order, including rookie Nate Lowe, who on Monday was named the AL Player of the week but was out of the lineup the last two days against lefties James Paxton and CC Sabathia. Lowe is the DH tonight, with Ji-Man Choi at first base.
Also, Kevin Kiermaier is hitting cleanup for the first time in his career.
The Rays are starting righthander Yonny Chirinos, who is coming off a strong outing on Friday in Baltimore.
Here is the Rays lineup:
Meadows rf
Diaz 3b
N. Lowe dh
Kiermaier cf
Garcia rf
Choi 1b
d’Arnaud c
Wendle 2b
Adames ss
Chirinos p
And here is the Yankees lineup:
LeMahieu 2b
Judge rf
Hicks cf
Encarnacion dh
Sanchez c
Gregorius ss
Voit 1b
Ushela 3b
Gardner lf
German p
