Hurricane Hilary Forces MLB Schedule Change: Dodgers and Angels Hold Saturday Doubleheaders
Both the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Angels have announced schedule changes due to the impending arrival of Hurricane Hilary. In anticipation of heavy rains and high winds expected to hit Southern California on Sunday, the teams have rescheduled their Sunday games as part of split doubleheaders on Saturday.
The Dodgers will now face the Miami Marlins in two games on Saturday, with the first game starting at noon and the second game at 6 p.m. Meanwhile, the Angels will take on the Tampa Bay Rays with their first game at 1 p.m. and the second game at 6 p.m.
To accommodate ticket holders, the rescheduled games on Sunday will now be played as early afternoon games on Saturday at both Dodger Stadium and Angel Stadium. The original Saturday games will continue as scheduled. The San Diego Padres have also made similar arrangements, moving their Sunday game against the Arizona Diamondbacks to a split doubleheader on Saturday, with the first game beginning at noon and the second game at 5:30 p.m. at Petco Park.
Amidst the schedule reshuffling, the Angels have announced that right-hander Chase Silseth will start Game 1 of their doubleheader, followed by left-hander Patrick Sandoval in Game 2. For the Dodgers, left-hander Julio UrÃas is set to start one of Saturday’s games. However, rookie right-hander Bobby Miller, who had initially been scheduled to start Sunday, will likely not be able to start on short rest, making it likely that the team will opt for a bullpen game.
The Dodgers’ upcoming six-game road trip to Cleveland and Boston, which is set to begin on Tuesday, prompted the decision to move the games to Saturday. By flying out either Saturday night or early Sunday, ahead of the storm, the team ensures they can proceed with their travel plans without any disruptions. Similarly, the Marlins and the Angels, who have series scheduled to start on Monday night, will have peace of mind by completing their Saturday doubleheaders and avoiding the potential impact of Hurricane Hilary.
With these precautionary measures in place, MLB teams are prioritizing the safety of players, staff, and fans, while making necessary adjustments to ensure the smooth continuation of the season. As the storm approaches, both players and fans will be watching closely to see how the upcoming doubleheaders unfold and how the teams will fare amidst the challenging weather conditions.
