Aaron Boone insisted the Yankees were on the brink of using the breadth of his roster in multiple Division Series situations and just never got there.
Instead, he channeled his inner Pat Riley and shortened his playoff usage against the Royals. Boone had 15 position players, 10 started and the 11th who got in, Duke Ellis, did so in a relatively meaningless pinch-running spot in Game 5. Jasson Dominguez, Trent Grisham, Jose Trevino and Ben Rice never saw the field.
Boone used 10 of his 11 pitchers — all but Luis Gil, who is now slated to start Game 4 of the ALCS in Cleveland. But Jake Cousins, Ian Hamilton and Tim Mayza appeared in one game and that trio plus Tim Hill combined to face 14 batters. Clay Holmes faced 18 by himself and Luke Weaver 15.
It was not like Boone had overuse concerns, considering that when the Yankees open the ALCS on Monday, they will have played four games in the previous 15 days. Boone started seven of the same position players in every game and interchanged Jon Berti and Oswaldo Cabrera at first. Those players provided a lot on both sides of the ball, but the Yanks are considering putting Anthony Rizzo (fractured fingers) on the ALCS roster.
There is going to be roster reshuffling no matter what as the Yankees add at least one pitcher and it is conceivable that Nestor Cortes (elbow) could be in play.
But among the reasons that Boone could stick with fewer players — beyond the top-heavy nature of the Yankees — is that the Division Series was a redemption tour for three key players, who also will obviously have a key say in the ALCS against Cleveland:
1. Clay Holmes. In a hail of blown saves that cost Holmes his closing job, it was easy to forget the righty represents one of the best acquisitions of Brian Cashman’s regime. Holmes’ 155 ERA-plus is fourth-best in Yankees history (minimum 200 appearances) behind Mariano Rivera, Goose Gossage and Dellin Betances.
There has been a Ryan Pressly tinge to Holmes — really good and durable in the regular season and better in the postseason (13 shutout innings in 10 games). Holmes had the feel for his sinker again and when he stays in positive counts, the righty is usually very effective. Against Kansas City, Holmes faced 18 hitters, walked one and went to three balls just two other times in his five shutout innings.
The industry knows who he is, and Holmes is going to sign a strong contract as a free agent this offseason.
2. Giancarlo Stanton. Lots of folks say they don’t care what people say. Among the few I would believe is Stanton. He knows how bad he can look swinging and missing by a lot and running in a controlled way, which is basically a jog. He recognizes his most important role is to try to stay healthy enough to do damage at the plate.
And he is not changing. He knows who he is, and I think that helps him so much at this time of year to block out the noise and not try to do too much.
Stanton had terrific at-bats against Kansas City, going 6-for-16 with three extra-base hits — notably a decisive eighth-inning homer in Game 3. Stanton now has 12 homers in 128 postseason plate appearances and the only Yankees with a better playoff OPS (minimum 100 plate appearances) than Stanton’s .987 are Babe Ruth (1.285), Lou Gehrig (1.214) and Reggie Jackson (1.090).
3. Anthony Volpe. If you knew nothing else from the ALDS but that Volpe outplayed shortstop counterpart Bobby Witt Jr., you would have accurately surmised the Yankees won the series.
Volpe made a hurried error in Game 1, but mainly played strong defense. The positive was on offense, where in the regular season he still too often descended into a big-swing easy out.
Against the Royals, he had three singles in 12 at-bats, but walked four times against one strikeout. And he earned no rewards for crushing the ball to the right side.
It was like he had a magnet for Tommy Pham’s glove in right field, smashing lineouts at 100.8 mph, 96.8, 99.4 and 103.1 — the last two had expected batting averages of .350 and .460 — and he hit into a line-drive double play to first base in Game 4 that had a .520 expected average.
Yet, his three hits were all pulled or up-the-middle singles. Still, this version that uses the whole field and makes himself a tough out is the best version of Volpe.
“I thought in these games and the week of preparation leading up, he’s looked as good as he has offensively at any time all year,” Boone said. “So I will sign up for what he’s got going on right now.”
