NFL
By Billy Lewis
Major League Baseball’s Wild Card weekend is in the books, and the Division Series is set to be underway! The American League East champions New York Yankees (99-63) are set to host the American League Central champion Cleveland Guardians (92-70). It will be the third playoff series between the two teams in the last five years.
The Yankees won the 2017 ALDS in five games and the 2020 Wild Card round in two games. The Guardians will be looking to ride the wave of momentum from sweeping the Rays in the Wild Card series to jump the Yankees.
Our 26 for the ALDS. #RepBX pic.twitter.com/VghxVtoTbJ
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 11, 2022
Guardians announce ALDS roster: pic.twitter.com/oXwZNYkIt5
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) October 11, 2022
Game One- Oct. 11 @ Yankee Stadium. Gerrit Cole (13-8, 3.50 ERA) vs. Cal Quantrill (15-5, 3.38 ERA)
Game Two- Oct. 13 @ Yankee Stadium. Nestor Cortes (12-4, 2.44 ERA) vs. Shane Bieber (13-8, 2.88 ERA)
Game Three- Oct. 15 @ Progressive Field. Triston McKenzie (11-11 2.96 ERA) vs. Luis Severino (7-3 3.18 ERA)
Game Four (if necessary)- Oct. 16 @ Progressive Field. TBD vs. TBD
Gam Five (if necessary)- Oct. 17 @ Yankee Stadium. TBD vs. TBD
The Cleveland Guardians swept the Rays to move on to the Division Series. After beating the Rays 2-1 in Game One, Cleveland outlasted Tampa Bay winning Game Two 1-0 in 15 innings.
Game One is set to begin tonight with the New York Yankees sending their $324 million man to the mound in Gerrit Cole. Cole’s best playoff start as a Yankee was his Game One start against the then-Indians in 2020. He threw seven innings allowing two runs while striking out 13. Cole will look to replicate that start tonight in the Bronx.
Do the New York Yankees Have The Edge?
The Yankees’ biggest edge in this series comes in terms of their offense. The Bombers scored 807 runs this season while the Guardians only scored 698. The Guardians had five players hit double-digit home runs during the season, while the Yankees boasted 10 players in double-digits including four players that hit 20 or more.
Cleveland’s advantage comes with their bullpen. Heading into Game One the Yankees do not have a set closer. Clay Holmes was phenomenal in the first half of the season but crashed down to earth during the second half. Cleveland can send out one of the best closers in baseball in Emmanuel Clase. Clase was the Major League Leader in saves with 42.
Though the Cleveland Guardians beat the Rays in the Wild Card round, they only scored three runs in 23 offensive innings. The Yankees trio of Cole, Cortes, and Severino should be able to keep Cleveland at bay. I’m sure Cleveland’s game plan will be “Don’t let Judge beat you.” Much the same as the New York Yankees should be “Don’t let Ramirez beat you.”
Prediction:
New York Yankees in four
