Rain postpones Marlins-Mets game; Aug. 5 doubleheader set

NEW YORK (AP) — The Miami Marlins‘ game at the New York Mets on Sunday was postponed because of rain, and the teams will make it up as part of a doubleheader on Aug. 5.

With heavy rain falling all morning and more forecast all afternoon, the game was called off about 2½ hours before the scheduled first pitch. While both teams are off Monday, they said they called the game early to allow fans to enjoy Mother’s Day with their families.

Noah Syndergaard was scheduled to pitch Sunday for the Mets and will now start Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series at Washington. Syndergaard is 2-3 with a 5.14 ERA in eight starts.

Caleb Smith was set to pitch Sunday for the Marlins and will start Tuesday in the opener of a two-game series against Tampa Bay. Smith is 3-0 with a 2.11 ERA in seven starts.

The Mets returned home from a 1-5 road trip in Milwaukee and San Diego and swept the abbreviated series by outscoring the Marlins 15-3. They scored eight runs in the first inning Friday night and won 4-1 on Saturday night behind seven strong innings from Jacob deGrom and back-to-back homers by rookie Pete Alonso and Michael Conforto.

Mets manager Mickey Callaway said struggling reliever Jeurys Familia would be activated from the injured list on Tuesday after missing nearly two weeks with a sore right shoulder.

He was placed on the IL on May 1, one day after blowing a save against Cincinnati. Familia gave up a two-run lead in the ninth inning against the Reds on April 30 and told the Mets his shoulder was bothering him.

Familia has struggled in the first month of a $30 million, three-year contract that he signed as a free agent in December. He is 2-0 with a 6.28 ERA in 14 appearances, and opposing hitters are hitting .296 off him.

Callaway said the Mets would likely not use Familia in the eighth inning if they hold a lead in a close game on Tuesday.