Cardinals-Braves game is postponed because of rain, doubleheader planned for Saturday

ATLANTA (AP) — The game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves originally scheduled for Friday night was postponed because of persistent rain.

The Cardinals, who are in second place in the NL Central, and the Braves, who are second in the NL East, will play a split doubleheader on Saturday at Truist Park. The first pitch for the opener has been scheduled for 1 p.m., and the nightcap will begin at 7:20 p.m., though there is more rain in the forecast.

Rain shortened the Cardinals' pregame batting practice, forcing the grounds crew to place a tarp over the infield. The tarp was removed for only a few minutes before being pulled out over the infield again shortly before the 7:20 p.m. scheduled first pitch. The postponement was announced at 9:30 p.m.

Atlanta's Spencer Schwellenbach (3-4, 4.43 ERA) was scheduled to face Cardinals right-hander Sonny Gray (9-6, 3.34) on Friday night. The teams did not immediately announce their pitching plans for the split doubleheader.

Before the postponement, Saturday night's scheduled called for matchup of veteran right-handers. Kyle Gibson (7-3, 4.16) was scheduled to start for St. Louis against Charlie Morton (5-5, 4.07). Gibson is 36 and Morton is 40.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: OF/IF Tommy Edman, who began a rehab assignment with Double-A Springfield on July 9, had an injection in his sprained ankle over the All-Star break. Edman won't return to rehab games until Tuesday. ... Manager Oliver Marmol said LHP Steven Matz (lower back strain) is scheduled to throw his second bullpen session in St. Louis on Saturday.

Braves: OF Ramón Laureano (sore back, left oblique) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list but did not return as a starter. Manager Brian Snitker said Laureano could play against left-handers and is “a good piece for us.” ... The rehab of OF Michael Harris II (strained left hamstring) remains “a slow process” until he is cleared for games, according to Snitker. ... IF Brian Anderson became a free agent after declining his assignment to Triple-A Gwinnett. ... RHP Ian Anderson is scheduled to make his first rehab start for Triple-A Gwinnett, and his fifth minor league rehab start overall, on Saturday as he continues his recovery from 2023 Tommy John surgery. Anderson, 26, has a 3.97 ERA in 52 career starts for Atlanta from 2020-22.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

An infield scoreboard notifying the fans of a weather delay prior to a baseball game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 19, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Baseball fans wait for the rain to pass before a baseball game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 19, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

A tractor is placed on a tarp during the rain delay of a baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals, Friday, July 19, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

A blower is positioned in the infield to dry the field during the rain delay during a baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals, Friday, July 19, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Atlanta Braves fans wait for the rain to pass before a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Friday, July 19, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Fans look at the scoreboard for updates during a rain delay of a baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals, Friday, July 19, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Filed staff pulls a tarp out during the rain delay at a baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals, Friday, July 19, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Baseball fans wait for the rain to pass before a baseball game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 19, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

A baseball fan waits for the rain to pass during a rain delay before a baseball game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 19, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Baseball fans wait for the rain to pass before a baseball game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 19, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Field staff push rainwater off of a tarp over the infield during the rain delay of a baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals, Friday, July 19, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

President Donald Trump President Donald Trump wraps up a Mideast tour in the United Arab Emirates with a breakfast for business leaders and a visit to an interfaith place of worship named for the Abraham Accords he negotiated.

As part of the accords, the UAE and some other countries in the Middle East recognized Israel. Trump departs Abu Dhabi after his visit to the Abrahamic Family House .

During his visit to the region, violence flared in the West Bank, and Gaza. Israeli strikes killed at least 20 people Friday, adding to the more than 120 people who died in recent days.

Here's the latest:

President Donald Trump is kicking off the final day of his Middle East trip with a meeting of U.S. and UAE business executives alongside UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Energy, healthcare, aviation, entertainment and other business leaders will be in attendance to highlight ties between the two countries -- a central focus of Trump’s trip to the region. Trump will then tour the Abrahamic Family House, a complex that houses a church, mosque and synagogue and is a symbol of interfaith tolerance. Trump has encouraged other countries in the region to join the Abraham Accords and recognize Israel, as the UAE did in 2020. The president will then depart back to Washington.

Israeli strikes killed at least 20 people in Gaza on Friday morning, as U.S. President Donald Trump wraps up his Middle East visit.

An Associated Press journalist counted the bodies at the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza, where they were brought. Survivors said many people were still under the rubble.

The widespread attacks across northern Gaza come as Trump finishes his visit to Gulf states but not Israel.

There had been widespread hope that Trump’s regional visit could usher in a ceasefire deal or renewal of humanitarian aid to Gaza. An Israeli blockade of the territory is now in its third month.

The Israeli military had no immediate comment on the strikes.

President Donald Trump will make several stops before taking off on Air Force One to end his Mideast trip on Friday.

He’ll attend a business summit in the morning in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

Trump later will visit the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi. It is home to a mosque, a church and a synagogue. The UAE built it after diplomatically recognizing Israel in an agreement known as the Abraham Accords, as Christianity, Islam and Judaism are all known as the Abrahamic faiths.

Etihad Airways announced Friday it would purchase 28 wide-body Boeing aircraft during a visit by President Donald Trump to the United Arab Emirates.

Etihad is the government-owned airline of Abu Dhabi that also flies East-West routes like Emirates, the long-haul carrier in neighboring Dubai.

Etihad said in a statement that the sale included “a mix of Boeing 787 and 777X aircraft, powered by GE engines and supported by a services package.”

Boeing did not immediately acknowledge the deal.

Trump was due to address a business conference in Abu Dhabi on Friday, the last day of his Mideast trip that’s also taken him to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which booked a major Boeing order for its long-haul carrier, Qatar Airways.

President Donald Trump and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan talk at Qasr Al Watan, Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Donald Trump and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrive at Qasr Al Watan, Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Donald Trump and Sheikh Khaled Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, right, tour the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)