For at least one more day, the Yankees were close to confirming their starter for Game 1 of the ALCS.
It's almost certain that either Carlos Rodon or Clark Schmidt will be selected for Monday's game against the Guardians, but manager Aaron Boone insisted the Yankees had not yet made a decision as of Saturday afternoon.
“We're going to see how things play out today and then we'll talk about it,” Boone said before the Guardians defeated the Tigers in Game 5 of the ALDS series. “Maybe we’ll make a decision tonight, or [Sunday] morning. “
Rodon, who started Game 2 of the ALDS, will appear in Game 1, while Schmidt, who started Game 3 against the Royals, will also be on regular rest in order to pitch on Monday.
No matter what decision the Yankees make, Gerrit Cole is expected to start Game 2.
Coach Boone said his opponent “may factor in a little bit.”
Rodon, a left-hander, did not play against the Guardians during this year's regular season, but Schmidt allowed two runs (one earned) in five innings against the Guardians in April.
The Guardians and their best hitter Jose Ramirez had a better batting average as a left-handed pitcher, hitting .251 with a .751 OPS, compared to .233 with a .685 OPS as a right-handed pitcher. .
The Yankees may be considering having Rodon pitch at Yankee Stadium or on the road.
He pitched better at home during the regular season — 3.11 ERA in the Bronx and 4.69 ERA on the road — but his emotional style backfired in the ALDS.
He performed well in the first inning against the Royals, getting a strikeout while huddled in the noisy crowd, but ran out of gas after giving up four runs in the fourth inning.
“I hope that my experience so far will be of use to you,” Boone said. “Carlos has a lot of experience, but he hasn't done much in the postseason. I was really, really encouraged to see him throw the ball to the strike zone. But he has a lot of lessons to learn. I hope it can be applied in the future.”
Luis Gil, who was not used in the ALDS, is expected to return to the ALCS rotation, but will not be an option for Game 1.
The right-handed pitcher is scheduled to play a simulated game Sunday and could start Friday's Game 4.
The Yankees will be adding at least one, if not two, pitchers to their ALCS roster, but this will mean cutting a position player or two from the roster they used in the ALDS.
Due to the built-in rest period, 11 pitchers can be used in the ALDS, but the Yankees are deciding whether to use 12 or 13 pitchers in the ALCS. Mark Leiter Jr., Marcus Stroman, and Clayton Beater are all possible candidates (Nestor Cortez still needs more time to recover from his left elbow flexor injury).
Boone, who played in all four ALDS games, said Alex Verdugo “will likely” continue to start in left field.
Entering the postseason, there was debate over whether Verdugo or Jasson Dominguez would be the better left fielder for the Yankees, but it's clear the team likes Verdugo's experience and defense, as well as the potential for the Yankees' starting lineup against the Royals. He had two big hits in the first game he won.
DJ LeMahieu (hip impingement) continues his rehabilitation, but it still seems unlikely he will be on the ALCS roster.
“I feel like he's moving around a lot,” Boone said. “He’s been hitting for a while now and feels good, so we’ll see.”
