Yankees manager Aaron Boone teased the team’s roster announcement yesterday. Boone reportedly said that the team had a “long and spirited” meeting to hammer out the details. It’s clear those in charge of the Yankees have put thought and care into crafting the list of 28 players that will take the field tonight in Cleveland.
Just hours before the Yankees begin their postseason journey, we finally have their playoff roster, at least for the first round. There were no big surprises, but we can speculate as to where Boone and company struggled to come to a conclusion.
The Yankees carried five starting pitchers, keeping Jordan Montgomery on even in a three-game series. J.A. Happ, Deivi Garcia, or some combination of the two will likely pitch a game three in Cleveland. The league has capped teams at 13 pitchers, so the Yankees will carry eight relievers. The most notable name to snag a backend bullpen spot is probably Nick Nelson, who beat out the likes of Clarke Schmidt and Michael King.
On the hitting side, the Yankees mostly played it straight, though they will bring three catchers. They clearly want Erik Kratz and his knuckleball on the roster, along with Gary Sánchez and Kyle Higashioka. Brett Gardner and Mike Tauchman will come along as backups in the outfield, Tyler Wade is the utility infielder, and Mike Ford provides a lefty bat off the bench.
Here’s a full look at the roster:
This is how we roll. @HankookTireUSA #NYYforNY pic.twitter.com/haHb4dLCHU
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 29, 2020
Is there anything here that catches your eye? Let us know in the comments as we gear up for the first game of the playofs. Buckle up everybody.