Bombers take their time with roster moves
CLEVELAND — Aaron Boone and the Yankees were not tipping their hands. With rosters for the American League Wild Card Series not due until today, they were still arguing over what 28 players would be on the active roster as they headed to dinner Monday night.
“We’re close to deciding it. We had a pretty long, spirited meeting today with the front office, with the coaches, with the extended staff at the hotel, where we kind of went through, in detail, the merits of going one way or the other,” the Yankees manager said. “So we’re kind of letting that sit, letting everyone’s opinion kind of fester a little bit and sink in and hope to finalize things later today and into this evening.”
Before the rain came Monday night, the Yankees had their taxi squad, with Mike Ford and Miguel Andujar, on the field working out. Boone said there is consideration for Andujar, who has struggled with limited playing time since losing the starting third base job to Gio Urshela.
“He’s one of those guys that’s in consideration,” Boone said. “So, yeah, the good thing about earlier today is that a lot of people in the front office, in the extending staff really got to lay their cards on the table, speak up one way or another for a way we might want to go.”
The Yankee pitchers also got back out on the field to play catch. Boone said they are debating how many relief pitchers to take for this best-of-three series with Gerrit Cole and Masahiro Tanaka the starters for the first two games.
“That’s one of the things we were kind of debating today and kind of settling on. We’re kind of between 12 and 13 pitchers,” Boone said. “We’ll finalize later tonight.”
Jonathan Loaisiga, Zack Britton, Jordan Montgomery, Luis Cessa, Aroldis Chapman, Chad Green, Jonathan Holder, Nick Nelson, Deivi Garcia, Clarke Schmidt and Miguel Yajure were on the field playing catch Monday.
PAX IS BACK
Also on the field early Monday afternoon was James Paxton, the left-hander who has not pitched since Aug. 20 because of a strained flexor in his left forearm. He was throwing on the flat ground in shallow right field, making progressions back until he was long tossing at about 90 feet.
“Yes, he is making progress. Part of the reason he’s here is because of the progress he made to be able to start throwing again so he can be an option toward the end of the postseason,” Boone said. “That’s why he’s in the bubble and part of our 40 (player pool) crew.”
OLD SECRETS
The challenge facing the Yankees in this round is Cleveland’s pitching. With likely American League Cy Young winner Shane Bieber, they can throw three dynamic starters with Carlos Carrasco (2.91 ERA) and Zach Plesac (2.28 ERA).
But the Yankees might have a different insight into those pitchers. Matt Blake, the Bombers’ firstyear pitching coach, was the coordinator with the Indians when Bieber and Plesac were developing.