Yankees explain why they changed starting time for day games this season
The club says the change was made at the request of the players.
NEW YORK — Ticket buyers at Yankee Stadium may have noticed that afternoon games are starting 30 minutes later than last season, which hardly seems life-altering. But it’s a big deal to the Yankees who requested the change. They say it’s made a difference in their preparation.
Several veterans, including Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, asked club officials to consider delaying the first pitch from 1:05 p. m. to 1:35 p.
m. The request was quickly approved, as it didn’t require clearance from MLB. “We have the right to start games at whatever hour we choose,” said general manager Brian Cashman.
“It could be 1 pm, 4 pm, 7 pm, it’s up to us. The players asked, and we said yes. There was no issue with it.