N.Y. Yankees: Streaky Bombers Open Playoffs Against Cleveland Indians

From the desk of: BLAME CARLOS MAY

ROAD TRIP!

AMERICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS

WILD CARD ROUND

New York Yankees

vs.

Cleveland Indians

FROM

Not League Park

The rollercoaster ride which has been the 2020 New York Yankees regular season is about to take another two-G turn around the bend.  

Next Stop: Cleveland, Ohio, for the Wild Card round against the Indians.

This was clearly not the season the Yankees anticipated.  After jumping out to a 16-6 start, they go 5-15 over their next twenty games to flatten out at 21-21, then go on a decisive ten game win streak before stumbling into the post-season winners of just two of their final eight games.  Bronx finishes second in the A.L. East behind the Tampa Bay Rays and enter the playoffs as the five seed with a slightly lower winning percentage than the Indians.  All games if the series goes three will be at Progressive Field.

New York owns the advantage at the plate:

• AVG - Yankees #6 (.247); Indians #12 (.228)
• OPS - Yankees #1 (.789); Indians #13 (.689)
• RUNS - Yankees #1 (315); Indians #13 (248)

Cleveland owns the advantage in pitching:

• ERA - Indians #1 (3.29); Yankees #8 (4.35)
• WHiP - Indians #1 (1.11); Yankees #5 (1.24)

The offensive disparity is notable.  Cleveland struggled enough to be overlooked.  But they're obviously better than the numbers indicate.  If the Indians play with a lead, they'll own the advantage.  However, trouble awaits them if forced to play catch-up.  After all, the Yankees were one of three A.L. teams to eclipse 90 home runs.  They are better equipped for comeback baseball.  Cleveland's lineup just isn't as lengthy as that of the Yankees, who one through nine can instantly change the outcome of a game.  Plus, with Gary Sanchez in semi-benched status that cluster of strikeouts packed into the middle of the lineup also featuring Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton is somewhat lessened.  Otherwise, the disparity in pitching is less discernible.  Advantage: Yankees.

Game one will feature an extraordinary match-up pitting Gerrit Cole against Shane Bieber.  Cole posted a 7-3 record with a 2.84 ERA over twelve starts and 73.0 innings pitched.  Cy Young candidate Shane Bieber was 8-1 with a stellar 1.63 ERA through twelve starts and 77.1 innings pitched.

Masahiro Tanaka is penciled in for game two and will be opposed by Carlos Carrasco.  Tanaka was 3-3 with a 3.56 ERA in ten starts.  Carrasco posts a similar 3-4 record in twelve starts but with a 2.91 ERA.

If this series requires a decisive game three ... we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.