For the second time in the last six days, the Yankees are playing a win or go home game. They beat the Athletics in the AL Wild Card Game to set up this ALDS battle with the Red Sox, a best-of-five battle the Yankees currently trail 2-1. The Game Three loss last night was thoroughly humiliating for the organization, from top to bottom. The good news? Tonight’s game begins with the score tied 0-0.
“We’ve (bounced back) all year,” said Aaron Boone this afternoon. “It’s one thing, I think, this group does a really good job of. Even times during the year when I was a little frustrated at how we’re playing, I feel like they’re really, really good at letting yesterday roll off them and coming out and performing. I’m confident they’ll do that today.”
This much is certain: Boone needs to show more urgency tonight. Barring a blowout, CC Sabathia won’t go through the lineup a third time, and if the Red Sox are hitting rockets in the early innings like they did against Luis Severino last night, Boone has to get Sabathia out of there. All the usual late-inning relievers are rested. Use them liberally.
As you’d expect, ZiPS has the Red Sox as the heavy favorite to win the ALDS now (72.1% vs. 27.9%). They have to win one, the Yankees have to win two. One game at a time though. One inning at a time. I’m not ready for the season to end and I hope the Yankees aren’t either. Here are tonight’s lineups:
New York Yankees
1. CF Aaron Hicks
2. RF Aaron Judge
3. SS Didi Gregorius
4. DH Giancarlo Stanton
5. 1B Luke Voit
6. 3B Neil Walker
7. C Gary Sanchez
8. 2B Gleyber Torres
9. LF Brett Gardner
LHP CC Sabathia
Boston Red Sox
1. RF Mookie Betts
2. LF Andrew Benintendi
3. 1B Steve Pearce
4. DH J.D. Martinez
5. SS Xander Bogaerts
6. 2B Ian Kinsler
7. 3B Eduardo Nunez
8. CF Jackie Bradley Jr.
9. C Christian Vazquez
RHP Rick Porcello
It is a weirdly humid day in New York. A pleasant evening though. Good night for a ballgame. Tonight’s game will begin 8:07pm ET and you can watch on TBS and TBS.com. Enjoy the ballgame.