The New York Yankees are coming off a dramatic lopsided win over the Blue Jays last with Gerrit Cole on the mound, only allowing the Jays one run. Gerrit Cole, Masahiro Tanaka, and J.A. Happ have substantially lowered their ERA’s in their last three or four starts. Cole is now down to 2.84 and Tanaka to 3.27. The Yankees will hope to take their second win in a row off the Blue Jays and give them a chance to win the four-game series.
After losing 15 of 20 games, the New York Yankees have won eleven of their last thirteen games and have secured their place in the postseason. As it stands today, they will play the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. If the Yankees win this series with the Twins losing just one game, the Yankees could gain home-field advantage in the Wild Card series.
Tonight will be another beautiful evening for baseball at Sahlen Field in Buffalo. The game-time (6:37 pm) temperature will be about 70 degrees, and the game will start with sunny skies and remain clear throughout the game, with decreasing breezes. The game will be televised on the YES Network and SNET in Canada. The game tonight will not be broadcast nationwide.
The Yankees tonight will face Robbie Ray, who is 2-5 with an ERA of 7.17. Robbie Ray will be looking to make a statement tonight and posture himself pitching in the postseason; he would most likely be a reliever in the Wild Card series. According to how he pitches, he could play a more significant role in the later rounds. Ray is coming off a loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday. He gave up five runs in 4.1 innings in the loss. The 28-year-old lefty has given up four or more runs in six of his eleven starts.
Masahiro Tanaka will pitch for the New York Yankees tonight. Tanaka is 3-2, with an ERA of 3.27. Tanaka had a rough start this year. He was hit in the head with a comebacker late in summer camp and went on concussion protocol, missing his first start of the season. This will be Tanaka’s tenth start of the season. He has not given up as many home runs this year, although he did give up 2 to these same Blue Jays in his last outing that the Yankees won 10-7. The Yankees have won three of his last four starts. Tanaka has pitched to a 2.54 ERA in his last five starts.
After tonight, the Yankees will have one more game against the Jays in Buffalo. Jordan Montgomery will get that start, before moving on to the final series of the year with the Miami Marlins at Yankee Stadium. These games are being played in the “bubble,” which means that the Yankees will be relegated to their hotel unless traveling to and from games. That bubble will last until they win their 28th World Championship or are eliminated earlier.