The New York Yankees announced on Tuesday afternoon that they will be playing three exhibition games before Major League Baseball’s July 23 Opening Day. Two of them will come against the crosstown-rival Mets.
New York’s clubs will play the preseason games in successive days — on July 18 at Citi Field (7:10 p.m. ET) and on July 19 at Yankee Stadium (7:05 p.m.). Both games will be televised on YES Network.
The Yankees will also face the Philadelphia Phillies on July 20 in the Bronx.
It was initially unclear if exhibition games would be allowed leading up to the shortened 60-game season as strict coronavirus protocols must be adhered to in order to ensure the viability of MLB’s campaign.
The unprecedented schedule as a result of the pandemic, however, makes the two exhibition games between the Mets and Yankees a meaningful primer before the regular season begins.
They will face each other six times over the course of nine days in late-August — games that could have important postseason implications as both clubs are expected to be in the playoff conversation.
This story originally appeared on amny.com.
