The Milwaukee Brewers season-opener at the New York Mets has been postponed until 12:40 p.m. Friday.
Pregame on WKTY will begin at 12:05 p.m. WKTY is also hosting a watch party from noon-2 p.m. at Flipside in La Crosse with jersey and ticket giveaways.
The game had been scheduled for Thursday, but with wet weather expected in Queens, the Mets pushed the game to Friday.
“I’d rather play when it’s safe for the guys, obviously,” new Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy said. “Our pitching is a moving target a little bit, you know what I mean? So it’s nicer to have those off days in between, to be honest. But you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do.”
New York and Milwaukee both worked out Wednesday under a cloudy sky at Citi Field.
“Obviously, everybody’s anxious to get going,” Murphy said. “But it’s a six-month season and guys that, our leaders that know better, that have been around — even though there’s only a few of ’em — it’s all part of it. They understand it.”
Murphy took over the defending NL Central champions after manager Craig Counsell bolted for the rival Chicago Cubs during the offseason.
New York turns to first-timer Carlos Mendoza — the former Yankees bench coach was hired to replace Buck Showalter by new president of baseball operations David Stearns, who used to run the Brewers after growing up a Mets fan in New York City.
After trading No. 1 starter Corbin Burnes, a three-time All-Star and the 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner, Milwaukee gives Freddy Peralta his first career opening-day start.
Jose Quintana goes for the Mets, minus 2023 NL Rookie of the Year runner-up Kodai Senga because of a shoulder strain. Senga recently began playing catch again, but he’s not expected back until at least late April or May — possibly longer.
Quintana, born in Colombia, just became an American citizen last week.
“I’d rather have it be a nicer day than opening in weather that you have to get pitchers up and then lose pitchers because of the weather,” the 65-year-old Murphy said. “How it affects me is not important. And anxiousness? Nah, I’m too old to be anxious.”
BREWERS UPDATE
Milwaukee left-hander Wade Miley faced teammates taking simulated at-bats at Citi Field. Miley will open on the injured list after being slowed this spring by shoulder soreness and a groin problem. He is aiming to make his season debut during an April 8-11 series in Cincinnati.
TOP PHOTO: FILE – A Milwaukee Brewers mascot cheers in the empty stands during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)