Cubs-O's game postponed; makeup Aug. 18

BALTIMORE -- The finale of the two-game set between the Cubs and Orioles on Wednesday night was postponed due to inclement weather, called nearly two hours after the scheduled first pitch. The two teams will make up the contest on Aug. 18 at 3:05 p.m. ET/2:05 CT, before Baltimore opens a six-game homestand against the Red Sox and White Sox.

Tickets bought for Wednesday’s contest can be used for the makeup game. No exchanges are necessary, but those who cannot attend in August are permitted to trade in their tickets and use the value for any of the remaining home O's games this season.

The Cubs have an off-day Thursday before opening a three-game series in New York on Friday against the Yankees. Aug. 18 had been an off-day for the Cubs after a series against the Nationals in Washington, but now they’ll venture up the Beltway for one game that day before returning to Wrigley Field for an eight-game homestand. As a result, they will play 20 games in 20 days between Aug. 13-31.

The respite is appreciated but not wholly necessary for the Orioles, who had an off-day on Monday. But they’ll take it, now setting off for a seven-game road swing to Kansas City and Toronto, followed immediately by a three-game home series against the Rays.

The net gain for the Cubs is effectively an extra day of rest heading into the Yankees series, which should benefit their already-rested pitching staff. The Cubs’ entire bullpen was already sitting on two straight days of rest Wednesday night, after recently returned swingman Alec Mills worked the last five innings of Tuesday’s loss to the Orioles. Chicago also had Monday off.

On the O’s side, Jordan Lyles, initially tabbed for Wednesday’s contest, will now open the four-game series against the Royals, with first pitch Thursday night set for 8:10 p.m. ET. His rescheduling will push Baltimore's arms back a day; Bruce Zimmermann, Tyler Wells and Dean Kremer will take the remaining games in Kansas City, in order, with Kyle Bradish now opening the ensuing set against the Blue Jays on Monday.

A game coming on Aug. 18 will eliminate a planned off-day for the Orioles and Cubs. For the O’s, it’ll also come exactly a week after they are scheduled to play one game in Boston, a game adjusted following the delayed start to the season due to the lockout.