It’s been a couple of years because the Yankees made a run within the playoffs, having been knocked out within the wild-card game in Boston last 12 months after they barely made the postseason and limped into the sport against the Red Sox, with Gerrit Cole pitching with a hamstring injury.
This time, they enter because the No. 2 seed within the American League, having withstood a nasty stretch that saw their lead within the AL East drop from 15 ¹/₂ games to three ¹/₂.
And so they’ll face either a hot Guardians team that ended up running away with the AL Central or a Rays team that has typically given the Yankees trouble.
“Tampa [Bay] we all know rather well, they usually know us well,” Aaron Boone said after Wednesday’s regular-season finale at Texas. “Cleveland has been one in every of the really good stories, with their young roster coming of age. They dominated the Central down the stretch. They pitch well, have an elite closer, good starting pitching, they’re adept at putting the ball in play and athletic. Hope those teams beat up one another slightly bit.”
That starts Friday when the Rays visit Cleveland for the beginning of the best-of-three wild-card series.
“Now it begins for real,’’ Boone said.
The Yankees dominated the Guardians this season, winning five of six meetings — including all three games in The Bronx in April. The teams met again in Cleveland in July.
And there’s the natural inclination to play any team from the AL Central within the playoffs, because the Yankees are among the many teams which have fared well against that division winner — whether it’s from Cleveland or, especially, Minnesota.
However the Guardians have been amongst the most effective teams in the game over the second half (46-26) and went 24-10 to shut out the season.
With the youngest roster within the majors, the Guardians may not be affected by the history of failure within the postseason.
Triston McKenzie was incredible in Cleveland’s lone win over the Yankees, who’ve generally handled former Cy Young award winner Shane Bieber well.
And the Guardians’ lineup, led by Jose Ramirez, has some newcomers in Steven Kwan and Josh Naylor. They’ve also gotten contributions from ex-Mets Andres Gimenez and Amed Rosario.
Cleveland also features something most teams don’t as of late: a dominant closer in Emmanuel Clase, who finished the season with a microscopic WHIP of .729. He’s one in every of three members of the Cleveland bullpen to have a WHIP under 1.000.
Despite their strengths, it’s hard to ascertain a scenario wherein the Guardians beat the Yankees in a best-of-five series — though not unimaginable.
Given the Rays’ history against the Yankees, a Yankees loss to Tampa Bay is actually plausible.
The Yankees went 11-8 versus Tampa Bay this season.
Wander Franco is back from a hamate bone fracture in his right wrist that kept him out for 2 months. He’s hit well since his return, but has homered only once because the injury.
Tampa Bay’s other offensive threats are known well to the Yankees, from Randy Arozarena to Yandy Diaz.
And Tyler Glasnow getting back from Tommy John surgery only makes the Rays’ pitching staff stronger, as he’ll be teamed with Shane McClanahan and Drew Rasmussen.
It’s been a couple of years because the Yankees made a run within the playoffs, having been knocked out within the wild-card game in Boston last 12 months after they barely made the postseason and limped into the sport against the Red Sox, with Gerrit Cole pitching with a hamstring injury.
This time, they enter because the No. 2 seed within the American League, having withstood a nasty stretch that saw their lead within the AL East drop from 15 ¹/₂ games to three ¹/₂.
And so they’ll face either a hot Guardians team that ended up running away with the AL Central or a Rays team that has typically given the Yankees trouble.
“Tampa [Bay] we all know rather well, they usually know us well,” Aaron Boone said after Wednesday’s regular-season finale at Texas. “Cleveland has been one in every of the really good stories, with their young roster coming of age. They dominated the Central down the stretch. They pitch well, have an elite closer, good starting pitching, they’re adept at putting the ball in play and athletic. Hope those teams beat up one another slightly bit.”
That starts Friday when the Rays visit Cleveland for the beginning of the best-of-three wild-card series.
“Now it begins for real,’’ Boone said.
The Yankees dominated the Guardians this season, winning five of six meetings — including all three games in The Bronx in April. The teams met again in Cleveland in July.
And there’s the natural inclination to play any team from the AL Central within the playoffs, because the Yankees are among the many teams which have fared well against that division winner — whether it’s from Cleveland or, especially, Minnesota.
However the Guardians have been amongst the most effective teams in the game over the second half (46-26) and went 24-10 to shut out the season.
With the youngest roster within the majors, the Guardians may not be affected by the history of failure within the postseason.
Triston McKenzie was incredible in Cleveland’s lone win over the Yankees, who’ve generally handled former Cy Young award winner Shane Bieber well.
And the Guardians’ lineup, led by Jose Ramirez, has some newcomers in Steven Kwan and Josh Naylor. They’ve also gotten contributions from ex-Mets Andres Gimenez and Amed Rosario.
Cleveland also features something most teams don’t as of late: a dominant closer in Emmanuel Clase, who finished the season with a microscopic WHIP of .729. He’s one in every of three members of the Cleveland bullpen to have a WHIP under 1.000.
Despite their strengths, it’s hard to ascertain a scenario wherein the Guardians beat the Yankees in a best-of-five series — though not unimaginable.
Given the Rays’ history against the Yankees, a Yankees loss to Tampa Bay is actually plausible.
The Yankees went 11-8 versus Tampa Bay this season.
Wander Franco is back from a hamate bone fracture in his right wrist that kept him out for 2 months. He’s hit well since his return, but has homered only once because the injury.
Tampa Bay’s other offensive threats are known well to the Yankees, from Randy Arozarena to Yandy Diaz.
And Tyler Glasnow getting back from Tommy John surgery only makes the Rays’ pitching staff stronger, as he’ll be teamed with Shane McClanahan and Drew Rasmussen.
