Kyle Higashioka returns to the Yankees’ lineup in Game Three of the ALDS

The Yankees and Rays will kick off a pivotal Game Three in the ALDS at 7:10 PM. With the series tied at one game apiece, whoever walks out victorious tonight will get two attempts to finish the job. It’s not a must-win, technically speaking, but it would make things a lot more comfortable for the winner.

In order to snag Game Three, the Yankees have another strong lineup running. One through seven remains the same as it was for the course of the Division Series, while Brett Gardner bats eight, and Kyle Higashioka takes over in the nine spot. Gardner and Clint Frazier have formed a quasi-platoon, and as it turns out, Gardy has some success against Morton. In 24 at-bats, Gardner has hit .364/.417/.864 with three homers off the right-hander.

Higashioka, meanwhile, will catch Tanaka, an interesting development, as Gary Sánchez served as the catcher in Game Two of the Wild Card Series. Sánchez has gone 1-for-8 with a home run and four strikeouts this postseason.

We’ll have a more detailed breakdown on this in the game thread a little later on. For now, how do you feel about today’s Yankees lineup? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.