The Yankees’ reward for finishing off the Royals in the ALDS at Kauffman Stadium on Thursday night is now they can kick their feet up on Saturday to find out who they will face in the ALCS.
Instead of having to play Game 5 in The Bronx, the Yankees will have yet another day off — their ninth in 13 days since the end of the regular season — as the Guardians and Tigers go to battle in Cleveland to determine who will head to The Bronx for Game 1 of the ALCS on Monday.
“We’re going to enjoy watching Game 5,” manager Aaron Boone said at the tail end of the Yankees’ party in the clubhouse at Kauffman Stadium as players passed by to pour champagne and beer on his head. “Both teams are playing really well. Nothing’s easy this time of year. … We’re excited and we’ll be ready for whoever comes in.”
Given their recent history, perhaps the Yankees will just be glad their opponent cannot be the Astros, the nemesis that has kept them from the World Series in each of their last three trips to the ALCS.
The Royals proved to be a tough test in the ALDS, with their pitching staff mostly keeping the Yankees’ bats — in particular Aaron Judge, Austin Wells and Jazz Chisholm Jr. — at bay.
The Guardians and Tigers both offer potential challenges in that regard — the Guardians with a lockdown bullpen and the Tigers with the likely AL Cy Young winner, though having to play Game 5 means Detroit ace Tarik Skubal won’t be available to start until Game 3 of the ALCS if they advance, which is a win for the Yankees.
During the regular season, the Yankees went 4-2 against both the Guardians and Tigers.
Boone was not yet ready to announce a starter for Game 1 of the ALCS right after securing the ALDS, but it’s likely that Carlos Rodon gets the ball (though Clarke Schmidt would be on normal rest) before Cole comes back for Game 2.
But who will they be facing in the second leg of their AL Central postseason tour?
Or rather, who should they be pulling for on Saturday, besides an extra-inning marathon?
Why they should want the Guardians
They don’t have Tarik Skubal
There is no Guardians starter that is as much of a threat to dominate a game as Skubal.
They used Tanner Bibee, Matthew Boyd and Alex Cobb as starters in the ALDS, with Boyd the only lefty in that group.
The Guardians do have a shutdown bullpen that could give the Yankees issues, but they need starters to get the ball to those relievers.
AJ Hinch is not in their dugout
The Astros are out, but their former manager is not.
Hinch knows what it takes to beat the Yankees in the playoffs and could mix and match his pitchers to get the best possible matchups against the Yankees lineup.
The Guardians’ Stephen Vogt may be on his way to AL Manager of the Year, but Hinch has the history with the Yankees.
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Why they should want the Tigers
They don’t have Jose Ramirez
The Tigers have had some breakout seasons from hitters this year, but nobody in their lineup is the kind of all-around threat that Ramirez is — a switch-hitter (feasting especially on left-handers) that crushed 39 homers and 39 doubles and stole 41 bags.
Their non-Skubal pitching staff might be more vulnerable
While Skubal can take over a game — in two starts against the Yankees this season, he gave up three runs across 12 innings while striking out 17 — the rest of the Tigers’ staff is more of a wild card.
Hinch promised Skubal and “pitching chaos” before the playoffs began, with most of their arms being used whenever and wherever.
But that may have them running on fumes a bit if they get to the ALCS.
Lack of wheels
The Tigers stole the fifth-fewest bases (76) in the majors during the regular season while the Guardians stole the fifth-most (148).
The Royals, who swiped 134 bases during the regular season, only attempted three steals against the Yankees in the ALDS (and Austin Wells threw out one of them).
But it doesn’t hurt to face a team with less speed since activity on the bases has burned the Yankees at times this season.
