Wednesday, September 27, 2017

My Thoughts on the Presumed Yankees Postseason Pitching Order


As we alluded to earlier here on the blog the New York Yankees tipped their pitching hand a bit as far as the 2017 postseason goes here during this series with the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees had Jordan Montgomery take the start last night against the Rays with Luis Severino going tonight here in the Bronx. Masahiro Tanaka would pitch Friday against the Toronto Blue Jays while Sonny Gray pitches tomorrow night in the finale with the Rays leaving CC Sabathia to pitch Saturday. Thoroughly confused now? Me too, so let’s dissect it together.

If everything lines up the way it is set to line up the Yankees would still have Luis Severino set to pitch in next Tuesday’s Wild Card Playoff Game against the Minnesota Twins in the Bronx. If the Yankees were to beat Minnesota, and despite recent dominance that is still a big “if” as anything can happen in a one-game playoff, the Yankees potential ALDS pitching matchup would look as so: 



Game 1 ALDS: Sonny Gray vs. TBA
Game 2 ALDS: Masahiro Tanaka vs. TBA
Game 3 ALDS: Luis Severino vs. TBA
Game 4 ALDS: CC Sabathia vs. TBA
Game 5 ALDS: Sonny Gray vs. TBA 




Ladies and gentleman this is why I don’t worry as much about facing any of the Cleveland Indians, the Houston Astros or the Boston Red Sox in a potential ALDS matchup. Look at that pitching matchup and lineup for New York, all five of those games are winnable games with a little help from the offense in my opinion. Game 5 looks especially winnable for New York as the Yankees would have Gray and Tanaka both on full rest for the deciding game. Gray, Tanaka and a well-rested bullpen might mean one run is enough against presumably Corey Kluber for the Indians, Chris Sale for the Red Sox or Dallas Keuchel/Justin Verlander for the Astros.


I still don’t like the one-game playoff scenario for the Wild Card Round and I truly think the league could go to a best-of-three series and still not drag too deep into November. Until or unless that gets changed though the team will not only have to deal with it but make the best of it as well so here’s to either winning the division or spanking the Minnesota Twins at home in the Wild Card Round before moving back to the ALDS. The ALDS, a short series where anything can happen. That’s just up[ the Yankees alley right now if you ask me and they are perfectly positioned pitching wise to make some noise and spoil some fun here around the league. Stay tuned to see how it all unfolds. #Take17

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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)