MINNEAPOLIS -- After surviving -- and winning -- one of the coldest games in Major League history on Saturday, the Mariners' series finale with the Twins on Sunday was postponed by continued freezing temperatures and the threat of afternoon snow.
The game will be made up at 4:10 p.m. PT on Monday, May 14, which originally would have been an off-day for the Mariners at the end of a six-game road trip to Toronto and Detroit. The Twins also had that day open as they return home from a 10-game road trip of their own.
It's the Mariners' first weather postponement in Minneapolis since April 20, 1979, when the Twins played at the outdoor Metropolitan Stadium, before moving to the Metrodome from 1982-2009. The current Twins' home of Target Field has no roof and the two clubs played in sub-freezing temperatures on Saturday, with the first-pitch reading of 27 degrees, the coldest game in franchise history for either team.
Mariners manager Scott Servais said Sunday's postponement was the Twins' call, but he had no argument with the decision given the temperature at first pitch would have been 31 degrees under threatening overcast skies with snow expected later in the afternoon.
"There's no sun out there today," Servais said after the decision was made. "That's what saved us [Saturday]. If it had been overcast then, we would not have played. But when the sun was on the field, it made it at least bearable so we could get through it. And the snow is going to hit here today."
While the Mariners won Saturday's game, 11-4, they weren't arguing with the decision to move on to Kansas City, where the forecast for Monday is temperatures in the 40s in the evening, rising to a day-time high of 58 on Tuesday and 72 by Wednesday.
The Mariners will move their starting pitchers back a day, with Marco Gonzales now facing the Royals in Monday's series opener, followed by Felix Hernandez on Tuesday and James Paxton in Wednesday's finale.
The change means lefty Ariel Miranda won't need to be called up from the Minors to pitch Wednesday, in what would have been the first time the club needed a fifth starter.
A fifth starter likely won't be called on now until April 17, the second game of a four-game set with the Astros at Safeco Field. With Erasmo Ramirez throwing three innings for Class A Advanced Modesto on Saturday in his first rehab start as he returns from a strained right lat muscle, he could make another Minor League start and be close to returning by then.
Servais said those decisions are still being discussed, but indicated the fifth starter would definitely be on hold for now.
"In the short term I'd say, 'Yeah, we don't need it in Kansas City,'" Servais said. "We'll need it here coming down the road. I'll have to talk to [pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr.] about how that lines up. It plays into where Erasmo is at and getting him stretched out. I'm not quite sure where we're going to go with that yet."
Gonzales, who was gearing up to make his second start of the season on Sunday, will now shift his preparation to facing the Royals instead.
"I tried to stay as ready as I could," said the 26-year-old Gonzales. "I've had this happen a couple times. Nothing changes really. Just new hitters to focus on and that's about it."
That and hopefully a little baseball-friendlier weather as the eight-game road trip wraps up.