Tonight's Game Rained Out, Doubleheader Scheduled for Wednesday

For the first time since 1998, Mother Nature has forced the cancellation of a regular-season game at the Oakland Coliseum. Tonight's contest is officially rained out, and it will be made up as the second half of a the first-ever day night doubleheader at the Coliseum tomorrow, which will feature a 12:35pm matinee and a 6:05 twilight game.

Scott Kazmir, originally slated to start tonight's game, will take the hill for the 12:35pm game instead.

Jesse Chavez had been scheduled to start that game, but the A's don't yet have a listed starter for the 6:05 matchup, even though the plan had been for Dan Straily to start Thursday with Tommy Milone going on Friday. The team is now saying that Chavez will not start the second game and that he, Milone, and Straily will be pushed back a day.

The second game will likely be started by Josh Lindblom, who the A's will call up from Sacramento. Drew Pomeranz is another hypothetical option — Bob Melvin could even try for a by-committee bullpen game with Pomeranz, Otero, and the rest of the bullpen to cobble together nine innings, but that's easily the least likely scenario.

A special rule that allows for a 26-man roster on days with two scheduled games is not in effect tomorrow, as the doubleheader in question must be scheduled at least 48 hours in advance for the rule apply. With Lindblom or another replacement starting, the A's won't find themselves without a fully rested starter Sunday, which would have happened had Kazmir and Chavez both pitched tomorrow. However, someone will need to make room for him on the 25-man roster — likely candidates are Fernando Abad or Sam Fuld, who is likely to be sent down anyway once Craig Gentry returns from the DL.

Tickets for tonight's game are valid for tomorrow night's game, while tickets for tomorrow's originally scheduled game remain valid for the 12:35pm start only. The doubleheader is split admission — I'm not sure what protocol is for clearing the ballpark between games. I'm not sure anybody else knows, either, seeing as this is the first-ever event of its kind at the Coliseum. Past doubleheaders have been single admission with less time between games.

Here's a fun fact from Dan Straily:

I was 9 years old last time there was a rainout here. #randomfact

— Daniel Straily (@danstraily67) April 2, 2014