You Probably Did Not Sleep Well Last Night: It is Do-or-Die Tonight at Fenway Park
Photo Via: Associated PressBaseball’s fiercest rivalry has finally intersected with a winner-take-all matchup. The Yankees and Red Sox have their backs against the wall facing each other in this scenario for the first time since Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS.
Gerrit Cole will take the mound for New York and Nathan Eovaldi will do so for Boston. The pair faced off just 11 days ago, also at Fenway Park, and Cole got the better of Eovaldi. However, the Yanks’ ace has typically struggled when pitching in Boston and Eovaldi usually pitches well against the Yankees.
As far as the Yankees go, they will move onto the Postseason without both D.J. LeMahieu and Luke Voit. The lineup certainly has a different feel to it without those names penciled in, but neither was very productive in 2021, so the Bombers should be able to overcome the absence of two very capable hitters.
On the Red Sox side of things, veteran slugger J.D. Martinez will not be able to play after spraining his ankle while playing the outfield during game 162 in Nationals Park.
Both bullpens are locked and loaded for what will feel like a boxing match out there. If Cole is unable to go deep into the game, you will likely see Luis Severino become the bulk innings guy. After that, it is all hands on deck. Aroldis Chapman, Chad Green, Jonathan Loáisiga, and Clay Holmes are all but guaranteed to make appearances in this one.
The Red Sox returned Garrett Whitlock on Sunday. The rookie sensation has been dominant all season long and is Boston’s best weapon out of the ‘pen. Tanner Houck, Nick Pivetta, Hansel Robles, and Adam Ottavino will all be ready to go when needed.
A big question prior to this game is whether this is Gerrit Cole’s most important start of his career. He pitched in three Postseason games last season, but a dominant performance in a winner-take-all matchup against the Red Sox would help cement his legacy as one of the greatest pitchers to ever put on this uniform. This is as big as it gets for the ace.
Yankees Lineup Projection
Gleyber Torres - 2B
Anthony Rizzo - 1B
Aaron Judge - RF
Giancarlo Stanton - DH
Joey Gallo - LF
Gio Urshela - 3B
Brett Gardner - CF
Kyle Higashioka - C
Andrew Velazquez - SS
Yes, I have Squid starting at shortstop for the New York Yankees in an elimination Postseason game. His defensive and baserunning skills overcome the lack of force from the offensive side. The alternative choices are:
a) Play Rougned Odor at third base and move Gio Urshela to shortstop; or
b) Play Tyler Wade at shortstop and use Velazquez off the bench.
Shortstop is not a position where you can short-change yourself in a single-game scenario just for the hopes that two extra at-bats from a sub-par defender make the difference. Yankees: go with Velazquez.
Another item of note is that the last time the Yankees played in Fenway Park in the Postseason, it was 2018. Gary Sánchez clubbed two homers in one game of that affair. Since Sánchez does not catch for Cole, he will likely be deployed off the bench. The Yankees placed catcher Rob Brantly on the active roster for the ALWC, so Sánchez should make an appearance in a big spot.
Not only did the Yankees add Brantly to the roster, but Greg Allen as well. The speedy outfielder hits from both sides of the plate and does not warrant any complaints on the defensive side.
By adding Brantly and Allen to the roster, the Yankees needed to remove two players from the 40-man roster. Pitchers Andrew Heaney and Brody Koerner were designated for assignment, so we will not see either of them this Postseason.
Well, there you have it. First pitch is 8:08 PM ET on Tuesday. See you there.