A day before the Yankees hosted the Guardians for Game 1 of their American League divisional series, manager Aaron Boone described Gerrit Cole’s regular-season home run problems as a “bugaboo.”
But Cole, who allowed an AL-high of 33 homers in 2022 — including 12 in his last eight starts — narrowed the Yankees’ greatest fear to a solo shot off-bat by Steven Kwan in a 4-1 win. Instead of succumbing to things going off the rails — and iffy defense — right-hander Cole struggled through six and a half innings. Only Kwan’s blast in the third inning did damage as Cole hit eight Guardians while allowing just one walk and four hits over 101 pitches.
The performance dwarfed Cole’s stunning — if not solid — regular season and his 2021 wildcard game flop in Boston, at least for now.
While home runs were a problem for Cole, who was in Tuesday’s contest, they hurt Cleveland starter Cal Quantrill far more.
Center fielder Harrison Bader started the goal for the Yankees with a solo shot in the third inning, the Bronxville, NY native’s first homer since he was acquired by the Cardinals in August. First baseman Anthony Rizzo then blasted the right-handed quantrill out of the game into the second deck with a bomb from two runs and the sixth inning.
Catcher Jose Trevino also added a sacrifice fly after shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit third base at fifth base.
At the time, that run gave the Yankees a 2-1 lead and a sigh of relief after Josh Donaldson admired a ball that he believed cleared the short right field porch. Instead, the ball hit the top of the wall and stayed in play. Cleveland initially threw Donaldson out after realizing his mistake too late.
The Yankees were able to win Game 1 despite missing a few key players, including infielder DJ LeMahieu and right-hander Scott Effross. Both did not make the team’s ALDS list due to injuries.
“I’m just looking at him, he’s really compromised,” Boone said of LeMahieu, whose foot has long bothered him. “I just felt like it wasn’t responsible.”
While there was always a chance LeMahieu wouldn’t make the cut — he wasn’t left out for the entire postseason — Effross was a surprise removal from the ALDS roster at first. Then it was revealed that he needed Tommy John surgery.
Effross, a 28-year-old rookie acquired by the Cubs in another move ahead of the deadline, likely would have closed some postseason games for an already contested bullpen.
“This is a huge loss,” Boone said. “Feel terrible for him. He’s kind of heartbroken about it. It’s a hit. I mean, Scotty came here and pitched really well. You know, I think he would play a really big role for us in our bullpen, but now we just have to support him somehow and get him right. And hopefully everything goes well there. You know someone else has to fill that gap.”
Boone was also asked ahead of the game about the team’s former closer Aroldis Chapman, who was dropped from the division series roster after failing to report for mandatory practice last week. While Chapman has struggled with injuries and inconsistencies this season, and general manager Brian Cashman has made some scathing remarks about the former Star-Relief, Boone hasn’t completely ruled out bringing him back if the Yankees go through this round.
“We’ll see,” Boone said. “I mean right now he’s staying away and I know he’s cumming in Miami. But now he’s gone.”
On Tuesday, the Yankees’ backup core was without Effross or Chapman as Jonathan Loáisiga, Wandy Peralta and Clay Holmes – the latter two fresh from their own injuries – kept the Guardians at bay following Cole’s departure.
The Yankees have said they will mix and match with a bullpen missing several key pieces, but Game 1 followed an ideal script.
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While the Yankees will be without a few key players, an injured contributor has been cleared for return Matt Carpenter, a veteran infielder who had strengthened the lineup earlier this season and finally returned from a foot injury. “He’s really handsome,” Boone said of Carpenter. “You know, he’s really had a bunch of live-at-bats in the last few weeks or 10 days now. And it looks and feels really good, especially on the plate.”