Yankees need this trio’s redemption tour to continue vs. Guardians after ALDS atonement
NY Post
Aaron Boone insisted the Yankees were on the brink of using the breadth of his roster in multiple Division Series situations and just never got there.
Instead, he channeled his inner Pat Riley and shortened his playoff usage against the Royals. Boone had 15 position players, 10 started and the 11th who got in, Duke Ellis, did so in a relatively meaningless pinch-running spot in Game 5. Jasson Dominguez, Trent Grisham, Jose Trevino and Ben Rice never saw the field.
Boone used 10 of his 11 pitchers — all but Luis Gil, who is now slated to start Game 4 of the ALCS in Cleveland. But Jake Cousins, Ian Hamilton and Tim Mayza appeared in one game and that trio plus Tim Hill combined to face 14 batters. Clay Holmes faced 18 by himself and Luke Weaver 15.
It was not like Boone had overuse concerns, considering that when the Yankees open the ALCS on Monday, they will have played four games in the previous 15 days. Boone started seven of the same position players in every game and interchanged Jon Berti and Oswaldo Cabrera at first. Those players provided a lot on both sides of the ball, but the Yanks are considering putting Anthony Rizzo (fractured fingers) on the ALCS roster.
There is going to be roster reshuffling no matter what as the Yankees add at least one pitcher and it is conceivable that Nestor Cortes (elbow) could be in play.
But among the reasons that Boone could stick with fewer players — beyond the top-heavy nature of the Yankees — is that the Division Series was a redemption tour for three key players, who also will obviously have a key say in the ALCS against Cleveland:
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