Yankees’ bullpen again in focus as rainout forces ALDS rotation changes

NEW YORK — The Yankees were not surprised by the forecast of sustained inclement weather that caused Game 2 of the American League Division Series to be postponed on Thursday. As a result, the Yankees plan to start left-handed pitcher Nestor Cortes in the rescheduled game that will take place today at 1:07 p.m. Eastern Time.

Aaron Boone, the manager of the New York Yankees, had previously disclosed that if there would be a rainout, he might allow Cortes to as planned and pitch Game 2, and that right-handed pitcher Luis Severino would be chosen to pitch Game 3 against Cleveland at Progressive Field.

Gerrit Cole is scheduled to make his return after getting regular rest in order to pitch Game 4, which would take place on Sunday in Cleveland if it were necessary. On Tuesday, Cole won the first game of the series by pitching a strong 7 1/3 innings and striking out eight batters.

The possibility of having to play Game 5 on Monday at Yankee Stadium adds a new twist to the situation, which was already complicated by the rain on Thursday.

Cortes could have made his return on short rest had it been part of the Yankees’ initial plan; however, Boone has stated that he will “probably not” use Cortes in a traditional starting role.

“I’m all set to go,” Cortes said, “I am going to empty the tank. So, if I pitch on Friday and I have to come back in two or three days, I’ll try to prepare as best I can in the time between.”

If there were to be a Game 5, Boone would most likely go with right-handed pitchers Jameson Taillon or Domingo Germán, but there is also the possibility of playing a game using the bullpen.

“I hope we don’t have to play Game 5, but if we do, we’ll see,” Boone said.

The coach factor

This past July, when Jose Trevino found out that he had been selected as an All-Star for the American League, the first person he called was Steve Castillo, the baseball coach at St. John Paul II High School in Corpus Christi, Texas, where Trevino played high school baseball. This past week, as Trevino was getting ready to play in his first postseason game, he got in touch with his old coach once more.

“I just talked to him on the way to the field,” Trevino said, “He replied: ‘Go out there and have fun and do what you do. You’ve always been able to play in these kinds of situations.’ He knows how much I like chasing a championship, so he’s out there. He’s excited for me.”

Trevino recalled that Castillo was the one who first made him aware of the legacy of Roberto Clemente earlier this year. Trevino’s first choice for a uniform number in high school was No. 2, as a tribute to Derek Jeter. However, Castillo told Trevino that he reminded him of Clemente, so Trevino changed his mind and went with No. 21.

Before being traded to the Yankees in April of this year, Trevino spent his first four seasons in the major leagues with the Texas Rangers; during those four seasons, Texas finished no better than fifth in the American League West, with the exception of 2019, when Texas finished third.

“My time in Texas was special,” Trevino said. “I met some incredible people over there, and they taught me lessons about these moments that are about to happen. There wasn’t a day in Texas where we didn’t talk about winning, and I think that prepared me for what this year has brought.”

Relievers are up to the mark

Do not let Clay Holmes know that the Yankees’ bullpen is the team’s primary area of concern in this postseason. The All-Star closer is of the opinion that the Bombers’ relievers possess sufficient firepower to complete the task at hand.

Although Boone has stated that he intends to switch things up throughout the postseason by choosing pitchers based on matchups and situations, his moves in Tuesday’s Game 1 appeared to be more conventional than those he had intended. After Cole’s departure, the Yankees bullpen notched eight outs. While Wandy Peralta got four of them, the first two fell to Jonathan Loáisiga, and Holmes recorded the final two outs.

“All we need to do is lean on each other,” Holmes said, “We’re going to give it our best shot, knowing that there’s someone behind us who can help us. I’m very sure of myself when I pass the ball on. I think we all have a lot of faith in each other and in what we can do. I think the guys down there have a lot of good ways for us to get out of this.”

Despite this, Holmes acknowledges that there have been significant shifts in the cast of characters over the course of the year. Injured relievers such as Chad Green, Michael King, Zack Britton, Ron Marinaccio, and Scott Effross will be forced to watch this round of the playoffs from a distance. Aroldis Chapman will also be unable to participate because he skipped a mandatory workout and was consequently ineligible for the ALDS roster.

“We’ve definitely lost some good arms,” Holmes said, “But I think the guys on the field and on the team have full faith in each other. This will only get worse the more we do it and the less we get out of it. I wouldn’t want to be in any other group.”

Is the rainout a cause of concern for the Yankees?