KANSAS CITY -- An important American League Central matchup between two teams fighting to stay alive in the standings as Thursday’s Trade Deadline inches closer will have to wait another day.
Friday’s Guardians-Royals game at Kauffman Stadium was postponed due to inclement weather in the area. It will be made up as part of a split doubleheader on Saturday.
Game 1 will begin at 1:40 p.m. CT and be televised on FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City and CLEGUARDIANS.tv. Royals starter Michael Wacha will face Guardians starter Gavin Williams.
Game 2 will begin at 6:15 p.m. CT and air nationally on FOX, as originally scheduled. Kansas City starter Kris Bubic is scheduled to take the mound opposite Cleveland’s Tanner Bibee.
Tickets for Friday’s postponed game will be honored for the rescheduled game Saturday at 1:40 p.m. CT. Fans do not have to exchange their original tickets if they elect to attend the rescheduled game.
Friday night’s Grateful Dead Night promotion will take place during Game 1 on July 26 at 1:40 CT.
And as originally scheduled, the Flo Rida postgame concert will still take place after the conclusion of Game 2.
This will be the fifth doubleheader for the Guardians, who have split the previous four against the Red Sox, Nationals, Twins and White Sox this season. Cleveland (51-51) entered Friday having won 11 of its past 14 games following a 10-game skid in early July, which dropped the club eight games under .500 on July 6.
The Royals swept their first doubleheader this season against the Rockies on April 24 before splitting at St. Louis on June 5. Kansas City is coming off a 3-3 road trip through Miami and Chicago after the All-Star break and has gone 11-7 in July.
While the Tigers have a sizable eight-game lead over the Guardians in the AL Central, the Guards and Royals are still battling in the AL Wild Card race, three games and 4 1/2 games back, respectively, ahead of Friday’s slate of games. This weekend could very well determine either team’s position for next Thursday, whether they trade pieces away or add in hopes of a postseason run.
This is the third matchup between the Royals and Guardians this year, with Cleveland holding the 4-2 advantage, but both of the previous matchups came in April, including Opening Day in Kansas City.