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NEW YORK -- The last time the Houston Astros exited Yankee Stadium they were celebrating Dallas Keuchel pitching six outstanding innings in the American League wild-card game and heading for a flight to Kansas City following a 3-0 win. Six months later, the Astros were headed for a bus back to their hotel in Manhattan and will have to wait 24 hours to see if Keuchel can continue to keep the New York Yankees scoreless.
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The combination of heavy rains and other wintry weather forced the postponement about 4 1/2 hours before the scheduled 1:05 p.m. ET first pitch and the game was rescheduled for Tuesday afternoon.
"We're ready to go back out there and play where history was made last year," Houston shortstop Carlos Correa said.
The Yankees have scored three times in 30 innings and have struck out 33 times during the four times they faced the left-handed Keuchel. New York did not score in the 22 innings it faced Keuchel last season and their surprising season was ended by an inability to hit him.
"I don't think there's an intimidation factor," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Monday. "I think we recognize he's very good at what he does. He's very good at moving the ball around. He has late movement. He works both sides of the plate. Our guys have seen him but it's a young man who really has developed into an ace."
Now they will have more than 24 additional hours to prepare for facing the AL Cy Young Award winner.
Heavy rains were projected for Monday and there was little window to get the game in, which is something both teams anticipated.
"When you wake up and you look at the weather forecast and it's 100 percent, it's hard to argue," Houston manager A.J. Hinch said. "Most of us knew we were in for a long day or a cancellation. So the Yankees calling it early sort of alleviated any anxiety going into the first part of the day.
"It was pretty evident when you're riding over here and it's some combination of sleet and snow and rain and the temperature in the 30s, to be honest with you were probably begging for it to get canceled."
Right-hander Masahiro Tanaka started in the wild-card game and will begin his third season in the majors Tuesday.
Like in the wild-card game, Girardi will sit one of his left-handed hitting outfielders. Last year it was center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury but on Tuesday it will be Brett Gardner, who struck out three times against Keuchel.
"I didn't look too good in the wild-card game, did I," Gardner said.
Aaron Hicks, whom the Yankees acquired as a right-handed fourth outfielder to spell Gardner and Ellsbury, will start. Hicks has a .272 career average off lefties and is 2-for-5 lifetime off Keuchel.
"The second day of the season it's not a big deal," Girardi said. "Because it's Opening Day with what Gardy's meant to this organization, it is a big deal and I feel for him but this is the reason we traded for Hicks."
NOTES: Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he told LF Brett Gardner Saturday he would not be in the starting lineup against Houston LHP Dallas Keuchel. ... RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (sore shoulder) threw a bullpen session of 40 to 45 pitches Sunday, will have Tuesday off and will pitch in extended spring training Wednesday. ... Houston manager A.J. Hinch said RHP Luke Gregerson will be his primary closer but RHP Ken Giles will get his share of save opportunities while pitching in high leverage late-inning situations. ... Hinch said RHP Doug Fister will now pitch Saturday in Milwaukee. ... RHP Bryan Mitchell (foot) was scheduled to see a specialist Monday but the Yankees did not have any further updates.
