NEW YORK – When it comes to the American League Division Series between Guardians and Yankees, at first glance it might seem like a “David vs. Goliath”.
Cleveland boasts the youngest roster in the Major Leagues, a group that, against all odds, have won the American League Central Division. For its part, New York has in its ranks not only the new Home Run King of the American League for a single season, Aaron Judge, but big names like Gerrit Cole (who will start Game 1 on Tuesday), Giancarlo Stanton and Anthony Rizzo, to name a few.
“He was healthy and we know what he’s capable of when he’s healthy,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, who will have to open his checkbook this winter if he is to keep “Judge” in the Bronx, commented on Judge.
The Yankees would have the resources to sign Judge again. But this will be decided between November and February.
On the other hand, the Guardians’ payroll in 2022 (for Spotrac) was $ 82,057,492, the third lowest in the majors, behind only the Orioles and the A’s. The Yankees were $ 264,934,200, surpassed by only two franchises: the Dodgers and the Mets.
Even when it comes to power and attack on the pitch, there is no comparison. The Yankees, led by Judge’s 62 home runs, led the major league home runs with 254 and the No. 1 in the American League on points scored with 807. The Guardians were penultimate in home runs and finished in the middle of the top 30 teams per shot. and goals.
But when casting, the Guardians give their best. They just dropped the Rays in a single run for 24.0 innings in the Wild Card Series, with the likes of Shane Bieber and Tristan McKenzie showing off their most dominant material of the year, followed by Cal Quantrill.
In the regular season, the Yankees had the second-best ERA in the American League from their owners, 3.51, compared to 3.73 for the Guardians. But in the second half the rotation of Cleveland (3.41) was better than that of New York (3.94), which finds itself without not only Jordan Montgomery (sold to the Cardinals), but also Francelis “Frankie” Montas, who got injured after failing to pitch as expected arriving in the Bronx from Oakland.
Now, the biggest difference between the Guardians and the Yankees pitching right now is the relief. New Yorkers are in trouble with their bullpen. Cuban Aroldis Chapman is off the club roster after going AWOL (and hasn’t pitched well this year either). Clay Holmes did not dominate the second half of the season as he did the first. Lou Trivino, Nicaraguan Jonathan Loáisiga, Dominican Albert Abreu, Scott Effross and Quisqueyano Wandy Peralta are part of the “puzzle” that manager Aaron Boone will have to put together, who will not have names like Chad Green, Ron Marinaccio and Michael King, among others, for injury.
The weapons available to manager Terry Francona in the bullpen shone on the Guardians. Emmanuel Clase of the Dominican Republic led the Major League this year with 42 saves and threw 2.1 of the 10.1 zeros given by the Cleveland rescuer to the Rays, a weak team in attack, of course, in the Wild Card Series. The class is supported by solid trainers Trevor Stephan, James Karinchak and Sam Hentges.
In the regular season, the NYC Rescue ERA was 2.97, the second best in the major leagues. But the second half of the campaign was another story. Cleveland’s relief was 3.05 and we’ve already seen what he did against Tampa Bay.
If José Ramírez, the undisputed veteran of the Guardians, is supported in attack by the likes of his compatriot Amed Rosario, Josh Naylor, Steven Kwan, Miles Straw and Andrés Giménez, the Guardians will have a chance to cause a shock.
“We have faith in ourselves,” said Bieber, who on Friday pitched 7 1/3 innings in a single run to claim Game 1 victory against the Rays. “And everyone keeps canceling us.”
Between Cleveland and New York, they are two very different styles. But in the end the difference in the standings was only seven games, with 92 wins for the Guardians and 99 for the Yankees. Now it could be an even more balanced match.
