MLB

MLB makes up for lockout postponements with 30 doubleheaders

Associated Press

New York — Major League Baseball has scheduled 30 additional doubleheaders to make up some of the 91 games postponed by the lockout that delayed opening day until April 7.

MLB released a revised schedule Wednesday, extending the last day of the regular season by three days to Oct. 5. The first game of the season will be the New York Yankees hosting the Boston Red Sox at 1:05 p.m., the first matchup of the rivals to open a big league schedule since 2005.

Five games were rescheduled for Thursday, July 21, the second day after the All-Star Game. Doubleheaders with the Yankees at Houston and Detroit at Oakland plus a single game with Texas at Miami join San Francisco at the Dodgers as the only game on the original schedule announced last Aug. 4.

No. 28 Javier Báez — R-R, 6-0, 190. Age in season: 29

For all the dynamic flash and flare he plays the game with and rock star fan appeal, his clubhouse persona is very different. He’s not loud or very vocal. There is no diva in him whatsoever. He’s all business. Or, as Robbie Grossman describes him, “He’s a winner.” He’s worked hard to make himself a more efficient hitter, working to cut down on his chase and strikeout rates, without sacrificing his damage-to-contact rate, which is elite. Defensively, he’s bought in to how the Tigers shift (often and sometimes extreme). In fact, he may not have to make as many highlight-reel plays because he’s positioned properly more often. It’s going to be a lot of fun watching him play baseball this summer.

2021: .265 BA, 116 wRC-plus, 3.6 WAR

2022 salary: $20 million

The Tigers and Athletics will play an unusual doubleheader at Comerica Park on May 10, with Oakland the home team in the opener to make up a game from April 4 and Detroit the home team in the nightcap to make up a game moved from May 10.

The only doubleheader on the original schedule, a day-night encounter between the Twins and Tigers in Detroit on July 23, was changed to a single game because the Tigers now have a doubleheader at Oakland on July 21. Detroit and Minnesota will play a day-night doubleheader at Comerica Park on May 31.

Nine games are scheduled for April 7, a week after the season was to have started on March 31. Other games on the first day include Milwaukee at the Chicago Cubs, the New York Mets at Washington, Cleveland at Kansas City, Seattle at Minnesota, Pittsburgh at St. Louis, Cincinnati at World Series champion Atlanta, Houston at the Los Angeles Angels and San Diego at Arizona.

Tigers outfielder Riley Greene swings during live batting practice.

Eleven games are scheduled for April 8, when openers include the Chicago White Sox at Detroit, Oakland at Philadelphia, Baltimore at Tampa Bay, Colorado at the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco at Miami and Texas at Toronto.

Fifteen games are scheduled for April 9.

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