It took four close and contested games, but the New York Yankees finally got rid of the Kansas City Royals in the AL Division Series and are moving on to new challenges, namely the AL Championship Series.
The offense didn’t light the world on fire and the starters were a bit inconsistent, even if both didn’t disappoint all things considered. The best unit of the ALDS, without a doubt, was the bullpen.
The Yankees bullpen completely dominated the Royals
The group was consistent, effective, and deep, offering solutions to various mid and high-leverage spots throughout the series against the Royals. The Yankees liked their bullpen, but they probably didn’t expect it to be this good.
Against all odds, they completely dominated a solid Royals team with a top talent (Bobby Witt Jr.) and several other skilled hitters.
The unit as a whole pitched 15.2 innings and allowed just one unearned run. It ran a 25.9% K%, a 51.3% GB%, and a 0.77 WHIP. Run prevention, no traffic on the basepaths, strikeouts, and ground balls — they excelled in all those and that’s a great recipe for success.
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Luke Weaver was the Yankees’ hero in the bullpen
Luke Weaver was the hero of the group, with three saves, but Clay Holmes and Tommy Kahnle deserve mentions, too, as both were nasty. Ian Hamilton pitched just one game, but it was a dominant display: 1.1 scoreless frames with three strikeouts.
The Yankees bullpen had some question marks entering the playoffs. Now, it’s looking more and more like an asset and that’s a key development in October.
Jake Cousins and Tim Hill should be more involved in the ALCS, with the Yankees needing to cover more games and innings. Depending on if they add Marcus Stroman to start, Luis Gil or Clarke Schmidt could also become options for relief. All things considered, the Yankees bullpen is very competitive and should help them achieve their objectives.
