A’s make unusual choice to face Yanks

Atlanta’s Swanson not likely to play in NLDS

NEW YORK — Fittingly, Liam Hendriks wore his cap backward. A reliever is going to start a team’s postseason opener.

A pitcher with no wins in the regular season.

A pitcher cut from the 40-man roster in June who spent two months toiling in the minor leagues.

A pitcher from Down Under who was happy to get medieval in New York.

“Instead of the starter going six and handing it over to the bullpen or going five and handing it over to the bullpen, now we’re just reversing it,” Oakland’s Australian right-hander said Tuesday, a day ahead of the Athletics’ AL wild card game against the New York Yankees.

New York’s Aaron Boone made a more conventional choice for his postseason game as a manager, picking Luis Severino over J.A. Happ and Masahiro Tanaka. Severino created a bullpen night in last year’s wild card game but not by design, lasting just one out and leaving with a three-run deficit against Minnesota in a game the Yankees rallied to win 8-4.

Left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu will start for the Los Angeles Dodgers at home in Game 1 of the NL Division Series against the Atlanta Braves on Thursday night.

The defending National League champions said ace Clayton Kershaw will take the ball Friday in Game 2.

Mike Foltynewicz (13-10, 2.85 ERA) is scheduled to pitch the opener for the NL East champion Braves.

Ryu missed extensive time with a groin injury this season but went 7-3 with a 1.97 ERA in 15 starts.

Shortstop Dansby Swanson did not participate in the Atlanta’s light workout Tuesday and appears to be a long shot to make the team’s roster for its NLDS against Los Angeles.

Swanson partially tore a ligament in his left hand on a swing against the Mets’ Noah Syndergaard on Sept. 24.