This is what we wanted. We had to endure a season-series long beatdown from the Rays to get to this moment. Yes, the games were close. The Yankees weren’t at their best or healthiest. The truth remains the Rays handled the pinstripes all year. It doesn’t matter now. The Yankees are healthy. They are hungry. And they are better than the Rays. Now, they have to go out and prove it.
Gerrit Cole gets the nod for this all important first game. Bobby did a great job of detailing why he is the man for this moment. I highly recommend reading his piece if you haven’t already. There is one thing I would like to add. Cole needs to go deep in this game for a multitude of reasons. The biggest one is saving the pen for tomorrow night’s game after the big announcement from Aaron Boone this afternoon. We will get to that in a moment.
Another reason for Cole giving the team substantial length is Blake Snell’s inability to go deep into games. Outside of his eight inning performance against the Yankees earlier this year, Snell doesn’t go beyond the sixth inning many times. It is a big accomplishment if he actually completes six innings. The sooner the Yankees can get into Tampa’s bullpen the better. The Rays pen is good but flawed. It would be advantage Yankees A-lineup if they can get to their pen before the Rays get to the Yankees’ pen. And speaking of tonight’s lineups, here they are.
Tampa Bay Rays
- Yandy Díaz
- Brandon Lowe
- Randy Arozarena
- Ji-Man Choi
- Manuel Margot
- Joey Wendle
- Willy Adames
- Kevin Kiermaier
- Mike Zunino
LHP Blake Snell
New York Yankees
- DJ Lemahieu
- Aaron Judge
- Aaron Hicks
- Luke Voit
- Giancarlo Stanton
- Gio Urshela
- Gleyber Torres
- Clint Frazier
- Kyle Higashioka
RHP Gerrit Cole
- Deivi García will get the Game 2 start. This is a pretty big surprise. It will most likely be a piggyback situation where the Yankees look for Deivi to go through the order at least one time and then let the game dictate the decision making. It is possible we see JA Happ or Jordan Montgomery back up Deivi. This feels like a risk, but I have faith in García. He will be the youngest pitcher to start a playoff game for the New York Yankees. That is pretty damn dope.
- Michael King was added to the ALDS roster. Eric Kratz was removed. If Michael King throws a pitch in this series, the Yankees may be in trouble.
- The game begins at 8:08 pm EDT on TBS and WFAN. Enjoy the game and go Yankees.
Frankie Ho-Tep
How is the recap not up? Let’s tucking Go
MG309
F U Rays
Gerreddardit Cole
And that’s the ballgame. I always knew we would rue the day we got rid of Ji Man. Why Cole can’t get him out is beyond me. Some ace.
MG309
Troll-broken clocks are right more often than you
MG309
That was a blast from Frazier!
Cole doesn’t have his overpowering stuff tonight but great pitchers sometimes find it after 2 or 3 innings, hopefully tha happens tonight.
Gerreddardit Cole
Home plate ump is deciding the game. Giving Snell all the calls off the plate. Cole is still too dinger prone in this big ballpark. He cannot allow another run.
Gerreddardit Cole
Almost another error by Gleyber. He’s a liability defensively. At least we manufactured a run. We usually can’t do that in October.
Gerreddardit Cole
We won’t win the series but I do think we’ll win tonight. Snell is tough but we didn’t have a full roster against him this year. He’ll be going against our RH power lineup. Cole needs to be an ace. With Deivi going tomorrow this is a must win. You can’t put the season on a rookie. What is Boone thinking?
billymartinvanburenboys
Anxiety is at an all time high! Must be October
Randy
Deep breaths. The Yankees are good.