Weather forecast for Sunday's Yankees-Tigers game in Williamsport is not great

DETROIT — There are contingency plans if Sunday night’s Little League Classic game between the Yankees and Tigers is postponed because of rain — a distinct possibility, as there is a shaky forecast for Sunday and Monday in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Aaron Boone said before Saturday afternoon’s game against the Tigers that if the Williamsport game is postponed, his understanding is the teams will play the makeup game in Detroit at a time to be determined Monday (likely 1 p.m.).

Neither team planned to fly to Williamsport until Sunday morning anyway — the hotel situation for a big-league baseball team is virtually nonexistent there — and both clubs are scheduled to be off on Monday. The Tigers will start a series against the Cubs in Chicago on Tuesday and the Yankees will play Cleveland on Tuesday night at the Stadium.

“As of now, we’re going,” Boone said. “[There’s] some optimism that we’re playing tomorrow night. If not, then we could be coming back here to play on Monday.”

The general feeling around the Yankees is that because of the special nature of the event — most important to Major League Baseball, TV and still-photo visuals of big-leaguers mingling with Little Leaguers — MLB will do everything it can to get the game in.

That's something Boone hopes occurs.

“I’ll just tell you from my experience, my Little League days were gold, man. Those are great, great memories,” Boone said. “From playing at 10 years old for the first time when I still lived in Jersey and then my 12-year-old year when I was in Southern California . . . You dreamed, dreamed of  going to Williamsport. You saw that on TV. Obviously, I never got to go there as a player, as a kid, but got to go see it for the first time when I was with ESPN and broadcast a couple of Little League World Series. Pulling up on it [the stadium] for the first time was amazing. Everything I imagined and dreamed of, and maybe more.”

Boone said a few of the players he’s talked with also are excited, Aaron Judge included.

“I’ve talked to Judgie a little bit about it. I know he’s looking forward to it,” Boone said. “These kids are going to be in awe of some of our guys, especially Aaron and Juan [Soto] and Giancarlo [Stanton] and Gerrit [Cole], all these guys. But they’ll walk away I know excited about the experience . . . It’s a cool day and something we’re lucky to get to do.”

Weather permitting.

Reunion with an old friend?

With uncertainty surrounding new third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (left elbow sprain) — he believes he’ll be back at the end of his 10-day stint on the injured list, but that’s far from a guarantee — expect the Yankees  to at the very least discuss bringing back third baseman Gio Urshela.

Urshela, 32, was designated for assignment on Friday as the Tigers promoted two of their top infield prospects, Jace Jung and Trey Sweeney. Sweeney, chosen by the Yankees in the first round of the 2021 draft (taken 20th overall), was dealt in the offseason by the Yankees as part of the trade with the Dodgers that netted lefty Victor Gonzalez, who flopped and was DFA’d in June. Sweeney arrived in Detroit as part of the deal at the trade deadline that sent righthander Jack Flaherty to Los Angeles.

Urshela was a popular Yankee from 2019-21 before being sent to the Twins during spring training in 2022. He and Gary Sanchez went to Minnesota in exchange for Josh Donaldson, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Ben Rortvedt. The Yankees talked to Urshela last winter about a reserve role on this year’s club, but the infielder told Newsday during spring training that he  chose the Tigers, with whom he signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal, because regular playing time was a greater possibility.

Schmidt, Hamilton latest

Clarke Schmidt, on the IL since May 30 with a right lat strain, is scheduled to throw the third live batting-practice session of his rehab on Sunday. The next step for the righthander, 5-3 with a 2.52 ERA in 11 starts, is expected to be a rehab assignment. Righty Ian Hamilton, on the IL since June 18, also with a right lat strain, threw his first live BP on Friday.

“Those guys continue to be in a good spot,” Boone said.