The Yankees announced their ALCS roster this morning, revealing that first baseman Anthony Rizzo and right-hander Marcus Stroman are back in the fold after sitting out their Division Series win over the Royals.
Rizzo suffered a pair of broken fingers when he was hit by a pitch in September and was seen as a borderline call for the League Championship Series as he worked through his rehab. Stroman was healthy but not included on the Division Series roster after skipper Aaron Boone made what he described as a difficult decision to exclude the veteran in favor of an extra bat in a five-game series. With the Yankees now likely to rely on four starters rather than three, Stroman is back in the mix.
Rizzo has had a rough season overall, enduring multiple IL stints and posting a career-worst .228/.301/.335 batting line in 92 games and 375 plate appearances. He’s one of the team’s most experienced playoff veterans, however, carrying 203 career plate appearances — including a hefty .276/.432/.552 slash in nine playoff games as a member of the Yankees. Rizzo was also a thorn in the side of the Guardians this season, going 5-for-13 with a double, a walk and three RBIs in the three games he was healthy enough to face them.
Stroman inked a two-year deal with the Yankees last offseason and started 29 games for them in 2024 (in addition to one relief appearance). He pitched 154 2/3 innings, logging a 4.31 ERA with a 16.7% strikeout rate, an 8.9% walk rate and a 49.2% grounder rate. Both that strikeout rate and ground-ball rate represent notable steps back from Stroman’s 2023 levels, and this year’s 90 mph average velocity on his sinker was the lowest of his career by a wide margin (replacing last year’s 91.4 mph average). The Yankees currently have Carlos Rodon, Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt lined up to start the first three games of the series, which starts tonight at 7:38pm ET in the Bronx.
Noticeably absent from the Yankees’ roster in the ALCS is southpaw Nestor Cortes. Like Rizzo, he’d been dealing with an injury and was seen as a borderline call. He’s been out with a flexor strain in his left elbow, but imaging revealed no damage to Cortes’ ulnar collateral ligament, and he’d recently been throwing after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection. Presumably, they’ll reevaluate him and consider him as a potential option for the World Series, should the Yankees topple the Guardians and advance to the Fall Classic.
The Yankees will drop speedy outfielder and pinch-running/defensive specialist Duke Ellis as well as catcher/first baseman Ben Rice from the roster for this series. Ellis appeared in only one game of the ALDS (Game 4) and did not record a plate appearance. Rice did not get into a game in the Division Series, as the Yankees instead went with utilitymen Jon Berti and Oswaldo Cabrera at first base in place of the injured Rizzo.
Here’s the full breakdown of New York’s roster as they battle Cleveland for the AL pennant:
Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
Utility Players
Pitchers
Dodgers look like the pick to win it all, more and more
If Boone puts Clay Holmes in high-leverage spots, then that’ll be their downfall as far as pitching goes. If the offense kicks into gear, they’ll be fine, but I think as the series progresses, the Yankees bats will come to life. Or the Guardians can pummel the Yankees with their good bat to ball skills that they had all season!
Across: Not to mention Cleveland’s superior bullpen.
Boone just used Holmes in high leverage spots the entire previous series, and he responded by not allowing a run lmao. Holmes’ usage is FAR from the biggest issue the Yankees face.
Those were great teams. Would be fun to see the freak pitching to Ohtani and Judge. I do believe today’s players are more athletic than a dozen years ago.
No cap without a floor, too bad the cheap owners resist it. Moreover, it’s not like the Dodgers, Yankees or Mets have recently won a lot of World Series. But this may be the year.
Cubs were 82-80
No, a hard salary cap would just create a permanent state of mediocrity in the league. The “small market teams” are the problem. There is no reason for any team to operate with a sub $100MM payroll on an annual basis
Ronk325: I just love it when a team is so bad, like the White Sox, cut their payroll instead of trying to add players that could help them become competitive. I understand that some teams don’t have much if any TV revenue, but that’s not the case with the Sox. As for the cap, the luxury cap is kind of one, but it’s not a hard cap since some teams go over it and don’t mind paying the penalty.
Very Barry: The thing I wonder about is, who are the Sox going to rebuild around? They could have had Cease, Moncada (when he plays) Jimenez (who was a good hitter for the Sox when he played, along with the only two remaining quality players, Crochet and Robert, ( when he’s healthy. He’s a much better player than he showed this year). To me, trading away good players for “prospects” in the rookie league or A ball.
What they really need is a floor, to make other teams try and win.
It’s a crap-shoot this year. There are no “great” teams this year, I don’t even know if there are any “good” teams this year. We might be staring at the weakest playoff field I have ever witnessed.
Theoretically, it’s the Dodgers or Yankees to take. They certainly have more star power than the rest.
Im honestly going Mets this year. Talent wise they definitely aren’t the best but they are one of the only teams that can attest to the meaning of team.
I beg to differ their bullpen will be worn down by game 4-5 and if they advance they are done! Their starting pitching horrible
Too bad they didn’t have Degrom for the playoff push
Rizzo returns….the problem with him is….3,4BWAR in three plus seasons with them. He’s not particularly good. Stroman can give up 4 runs in the blink of an eye.
the only way we’ll see stroman is if the yankees are behind by 7 runs or it’s the 15th inning
It’s not his WAR I’m concerned about, it’s how his broken fingers will effect him when he’s already having trouble with his bat fingers intact.
I didn’t watch the 2016 WS,but Rizzo got a few AB against Cleveland in that one.
Yes, but this is a different pitching staff, and he’s coming off an injury. It’s possible he’s rusty or he can turn it on like Schwarber did in the 2016 World Series. We’ll find out soon enough!
No LeMahieu, no Leiter.
Good vibes.
I’d like to see Dominguez get a couple ABs. Wouldn’t surprise me if he ignites the offense. Watching Verdugo ‘Aaron Hicks’ the ball to the second baseman is incredibly annoying. He has been pretty good on defense though.
“But he saved Game 1!” – A.B.
Credit where credit is due (and this is painful to say), but Boone has managed pretty well so far. Couple decisions I didn’t necessarily like, but he has managed well, overall. His decision to go to the ‘pen early proved to be a really good choice.
And how about that Weaver guy!
There have been a couple of times when I question why Jasson isn’t pinch-hitting for Verdugo against LHP followed by subbing in Grisham for defense in LF.
Leiter imo just may be a non tender candidate this winter. He sucks!
This has -Theeeeeeeee Yankees Win! – written all over it. Ahahaha!
The Batman adversary spittin facts
Why does the Riddler laugh after everything he says when nothing he says is funny?
Cancelling the Flaherty trade may end up being the difference between NYY/LAD.
Cashman made a ridiculous decision in acquiring an injured Montas last year only to scare himself out of Flaherty and a WS championship this go around.
I was thinking the same thing while watching Flaherty pitch. He looked great and the Mets were lost against him.
Yankees canceled trade because I’m sure Detroit wanted Pereza or Arias. Pereza hopefully replaces Torres next year. If Yankees fail again, it’s time to bring Mattingly back as manager.
They cancelled the trade because of Flaherty’s medical. Worried about is back.
Supposedly they won’t hire Mattingly because they never want to be in the position to fire him. Too much backlash for one of the most popular players in their history.
Berti will return, Yanks will have a few options. They can move Jazz to second and Berti to third, or bring up Durbin, Vivas, or Peraza.
I didn’t know exactly why but I like Boone and I hope he stays in the dugout win or lose. Mattingly would be a great option but I know that it would never happen my choice for a Yankee manager who would polarize the team and bring a wealth of baseball knowledge would be A-Rod.
They can sign him this winter as he would bexa nice addition and just trade Stroman and non tender Cortes
Flanerty doesn’t belong in NY. Ask Baltimore how he did pitching for an ALE team. Keep him on the west coast where no one cares. Besides, if he were a Yankee he’d refuse pitch tonight to honor the Indigenous peoples or the rising cost of eggs.
Hahahaaaa
I have love for both these guys but I don’t want the Yankees to go to the world series. Going for the upset with the Spiders in 6.
Stroman = LOL
The Rizz is cooked. Guy is a joke