NFL
By Billy Lewis
Game One: 10/5 6:38 EDT (G.Cole 8-5, 3.41 ERA vs. M.Wacha 13-8, 3.35 ERA)
Game Two: 10/7 7:38 EDT (C.Rodon 16-9, 3.96 ERA vs. C.Ragans 11-9, 3.14 ERA)
Game Three: 10/9 TBD
*if necessary
Game Four: 10/10 TBD
Game Five: 10/12 TBD
The New York Yankees will welcome the Kansas City Royals to the Bronx for their American League Division Series matchup. It is going to be their first postseason matchup between the old rivals since the 1980 ALCS, which the Royals swept 3-0. The Yankees earned a Wild Card round bye finishing with the American League’s best record. The Royals earned their way to the ALDS by sweeping the Baltimore Orioles in the Wild Card round.
The Royals beat the Orioles in two straight games, with both games being pitching duels. The Royals won Game One 1-0 behind an RBI single by their MVP candidate Bobby Witt Jr. Game Two saw slightly more offense as the Royals finished the sweep with a 2-1 victory.
The Yankees, meanwhile, haven’t played since winning the regular season finale against the Pittsburgh Pirates last Sunday. The Wild Card round had what seemed to be favorable results for the Yankees. Entering the playoffs, most would say that the Yankees’ two greatest threats to advancing to the World Series were the Orioles and the Houston Astros.
Not only were the Orioles swept by the Royals, but the Astros were swept by the red-hot Detroit Tigers. Seeing the Astros and Orioles eliminated made the road to the World Series seem more probable for the Yankees. That in turn, might just up the pressure on the Yankees to make their first Fall Classic since 2009.
Of course, the Yankees can’t make the World Series without first beating the Royals.
New York Yankees Wild Card Bye Benefits
The Yankees were 5-2 against the Royals in the regular season. They won three of four in Kansas City in the middle of June, while also taking two of three in the Bronx in September. The Yankees scored at least four runs in each win, including three games reaching double digits. However, in the losses, they scored three and were shut out.
The benefit of having a first-round bye is that the Yankees can set their pitching rotation exactly how they want to. Ace, Gerrit Cole, will naturally get the ball in Game One for the Yankees. The Yankees will see Michael Wacha and will look to get the bats going early to alleviate any “rust” talk.
A Yankee’s legacy can be cemented in October. After a rocky start to his Yankee career, Carlos Rodon will make his first postseason start for the Yankees in Game Two. The Yankees, who have struggled against left-handed starters all season, will face lefty Cole Ragans in Game Two. Ragans started Game One of the Wild Card round and was dominant for Kansas City. He went six shut-out innings surrendering only four hits, while striking out eight along the way to Kansas City’s 1-0 victory.
New York Yankees Bats Must Come Alive
In recent playoff disappointments for the Yankees, the same issue has reared its ugly head. While they’ve had good pitching most Octobers, their bats tend to go cold.
For the Yankees to move on their lineup is going to have to help Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. Austin Wells has cemented himself in the clean-up hole for the Bronx Bombers, and if the Royals pitch around Judge and Soto should have ample opportunity to make Kansas City pay. Despite a slumping September, Wells has a chance to come up big in October.
The two big questions facing the Yankees’ lineup will be who is starting in left field and at first base. Jasson Dominguez brings more offensive upside to the left field position, but the natural centerfielder has struggled defensively in left. Alex Verdugo is more defensively sound than Dominguez, which may allow him to find himself in the lineup.
Anthony Rizzo fractured two fingers during the penultimate game of the regular season. Though Rizzo isn’t yet ruled out for the ALDS, odds are the Yankees will need to find somebody else to fill the hole. Ben Rice and Oswaldo Cabrera are likely the two that Aaron Boone will choose between.
Prediction
Giancarlo Stanton enters the playoffs healthy and will have a huge ALDS. Since joining the Yankees in 2018 he has been one of their best postseason hitters.
Yankees win series 3-1
