NEW YORK -- Giancarlo Stanton said that he had not set foot in Yankee Stadium since the blockbuster trade that installed the reigning National League MVP Award winner as a member of the Yankees' lineup. He won't forget his first visit to the home team dugout.
With snow blanketing the playing field and a forecast for continuing precipitation in the afternoon hours, Monday's home opener between the Rays and Yankees at Yankee Stadium was postponed. The contest has been rescheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
"I was ready to go," Stanton said. "You've got to keep the same mindset that we're ready to play until you get confirmation [of a postponement]. I've had times where I look out and I'm like, 'There's not a chance.' Then you kick back a little bit and sure enough, you're out there playing."
Chris Archer, who was originally scheduled to start for the Rays on Wednesday, will now pitch on Tuesday. He'll be opposed by Yankees left-hander Jordan Montgomery, who had been scheduled to start on Monday.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that he and pitching coach Larry Rothschild considered pushing Montgomery back in favor of having Luis Severino start, but they ultimately decided against it. Severino remains scheduled to pitch the second game of the series on Wednesday.
The contest will mark Boone's Yankee Stadium managerial debut, coming off a four-game series that the Yankees split with the Blue Jays in Toronto. The Rays dropped three of four in their home-opening series against the Red Sox.
"I'm looking forward to putting the pinstripes on and walking out there with this team," Boone said. "This fan base is amazing. It's been fun to see, just in my short time back, the connection they have with our players. And I get it, being around these guys now for six, seven, eight weeks."
Stanton, who visited Yankee Stadium with the Marlins in 2015, has been eager to play in front of his new fan base. He is expected to play left field on Tuesday.
"I wasn't able to go to the original one, but from photos and videos, it looked exactly the same," Stanton said. "That was pretty cool. People yelling and screaming at BP, already ready to go at 4 p.m. It felt how the old guys explained here and Shea was, and all that. That's what it felt like."
All gates will open to fans with valid tickets at 2 p.m. on Tuesday. Pregame ceremonies are scheduled to begin at approximately 3:30 p.m., with the introduction of both teams on the baselines. Fans are strongly encouraged to arrive as early as possible to avoid lines that will increase in length as game time approaches.
Fans holding paid tickets for Monday's game may use them for the rescheduled game or exchange their paid tickets for any regular-season game at Yankee Stadium through the end of the 2018 season (subject to availability). Exchanges may be made at Yankee Stadium ticket windows on Monday until 5 p.m., on Tuesday beginning at 9 a.m. and at any other times the ticket windows are open during the season.
Fans holding complimentary tickets for Monday's game must use them for the rescheduled game.