CLEVELAND — Three relief pitchers who were barely in the Yankees' plans at the end of spring training helped clinch a ticket to the World Series.
On Saturday, the Yankees defeated the Guardians 5-2 in Game 5 of the ALCS, with Tim Hill, Jake Cousins and Luke Weaver making the final 14 outs.
Weaver became the winning pitcher in the top of the 10th inning on Juan Soto's game-tying three-run homer.
As of June 18, Hill had a 5.87 ERA with the White Sox, which would become the worst single-season team in modern MLB history.
He was released the next day, and now his former teammates and coaches watch him get big outs day after day in playoff games.
And Hill wasn't the only one who got the last laugh.
Cousins, who was not included in the White Sox roster from spring training and was subsequently traded to the Yankees, also performed well in Game 5.
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The two combined for eight big outs.
Hill, a left-handed sidearm, faced four batters and converted two double plays. It wasn't easy, but it helped the Yankees keep the score tied at 2-2.
With top relievers Clay Holmes and Tommy Kahnle likely out, Hill replaced Mark Leiter Jr. with one out and 1st base in the sixth inning, pitching for the third straight day and fifth time in five games in this series. He appeared on the pitch.
He allowed a single to Bo Naylor and then induced a 4-4-3 double play from Andres Jimenez.
Manager Aaron Boone made Hill the No. 7 starter, showing he has faith in Hill even after giving up a walk to Brayan Rocchio.
Hill repaid that trust by retiring Stephen Kwan, who extended Cleveland's postseason streak on base to 16 games with an unassisted double play off Oswaldo Cabrera.
Cousins, who has been used far more sparingly than Hill in the playoffs, struck out four of the five batters he faced through seven innings and avoided a two-out walk in the eighth.
He pumped his fist and let out a loud roar as he climbed off the mound.
“[Hill] There was a little more [time] Over there in the trenches,'' Cousins said earlier this postseason of his time with the 121-loss White Sox. “But the fact that we're both in this bullpen and playing key roles is a pretty cool scenario where we get into a good situation and kind of start running.”
Weaver entered the season as a potential long man after making an unexpectedly strong impression last season.
He continued to be given bigger and bigger roles until he replaced Holmes as the closer in September.
After pitching in the Yankees' first seven playoff games, Weaver was forced into a save in Game 4.
Since it was a rest day, he was able to pitch two innings and close out the series, winning an eight-pitch battle with Bo Naylor.
The three may still be called “Germans,” but they will be names Yankees fans remember.
