Yankees' Masahiro Tanaka to Start ALCS Game 4, James Paxton 'Likely' for Game 5

The New York Yankees are shuffling their starting rotation in light of Game 4 of the American League Championship Series being postponed until Thursday because of inclement weather. 

Per MLB.com's Bryan Hoch, Yankees manager Aaron Boone announced Masahiro Tanaka will start Game 4 and that James Paxton is "likely" for Game 5 on Friday. 

Houston Astros manager A.J. Hinch previously announced Zack Greinke and Justin Verlander will start the next two games in New York. 

Both teams were planning to go with all relievers if Wednesday's game had been played as scheduled at Yankee Stadium. That scenario likely would have favored New York because of how deep its bullpen is and how aggressively Boone has relied on it throughout this series.  

The rainout allowed Boone to go back to Tanaka in Game 4 on regular rest. He's been the one reliable starter for the Yankees in the playoffs and is coming off a masterful performance against the Astros on Saturday. The two-time All-Star earned the win after throwing six shutout innings with just one hit allowed. 

Paxton only allowed one run in his Game 2 start, but the Astros had a lot of traffic on the bases with four hits and two walks before he was pulled after 2.1 innings. 

The Astros can clinch their second trip to the World Series in three years if they win the next two games in New York. The Yankees will attempt to even the ALCS at two games apiece when Game 4 begins Thursday at 8:08 p.m. ET.