With the New York Yankees sweeping the Minnesota Twins in the ALDS on Monday night, they will march forward into a more competitive stage of the postseason. The most appealing part of their victory was the quality of the starting pitching and the consistency they provided throughout the series.
To start things off in game one, James Paxton pitched an impressive 4.2 innings, allowing three runs over five hits. Some might not consider that to be impressive, it was his first postseason start, and the nerves were likely affecting him. We should expect him to elevate his game in the future.
In game two of the division series, the Yankees tossed out Masahiro Tanaka, who pitched five innings and allowed just one run. He also racked up seven strikeouts in a dominant night for the Yankees, who walked away with 8-2 win. On Monday, they threw out Luis Severino after only starting several games in the regular season due to a significant injury suffered in the preseason. He pitched four innings and allowed zero runs. At one point, he got himself out of a bases-loaded jam with no outs.
The New York Yankees put to a rest a severe issue:
The fact of the matter is, the Yankees pitching looks good, and that was a significant question mark for them heading into the postseason. However, they might receive more support in the bullpen with CC Sabathia working his way back.
The left-hander will retire after this season and has been battling knee and shoulder injuries throughout the year, but his availability might open up for the ALCS. Sabathia has never been a relief option, but this could be his moment to shine and provide support.
“I’ll try to throw a bullpen on Wednesday and go from there,†Sabathia said Monday.
Sabathia stated that he feels terrific and would like to compete in the playoffs for what seems to be a team in rhythm.
“It’s up to them,†Sabathia said. “We’ll wait to see how I bounce back after I throw the bullpen and go from there. “