New York Yankees Editorial: How Far Can the Yankees Go in October?

Exactly 20 years ago the New York Yankees became the first ever American League Wild Card team. With the old format in place, they advanced right to the American League Division Series where they lost in five games to a Seattle Mariners team that featured a young Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr. in his prime, ‘the bam’ Tino Martinez and ‘the Big-Unit’ Randy Johnson.

After last night’s 4-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees finally clinched a postseason birth by putting themselves in yet another wild card slot.

With the new format in place, the Yankees will play in a winner-take-all wild card showdown on Tuesday night against an opponent that is yet to be determined. If the Yankees can manage just one win in Baltimore this weekend or the Houston Astros drop one of their three remaining games against the Arizona Diamondbacks, than the game will played in the Bronx, which is the most likely scenario.

Home field advantage would be a huge strength for the Yankees, who will be playing in front of a home crowd that hasn’t seen their team make playoffs since 2012. However, in the six one-game elimination wild card games played since the new format was introduced in 2012, home teams are just 2-4.

All signs point to the Yankees sending their $155-million man Masahiro Tanaka to the hill on Tuesday night in what will undoubtedly be the most important start of his professional baseball career.

It’ll be Masahiro Tanaka’s first ever post-season start, and while you can make the argument that after his shaky outing on Wednesday in which he gave up four runs in five innings against Boston, Luis Severino or Michael Pineda might be better options. But let’s call a spade a spade, Tanaka was brought here on his massive contract to win big ballgames.

He’ll likely face off against the favorite to win the American League Cy Young award – Dallas Keuchel, who is 2-0 at Yankee Stadium this year including a complete game shutout in which he recorded 12 strikeouts. However, Keuchel is slated to pitching tonight in Arizona, which means he’ll be pitching on just three-days rest.

Should the Astros collapse, the Yankees might find themselves against Garrett Richards and the Anaheim Angels. Interestingly enough, in his only start in the Bronx, Richards lasted just 0.2 innings after surrendering six earned runs on just five hits.

If not the Astros or Angels, it might be the Minnesota Twins, who will probably send out Mike Duffy who is yet to pitch a professional game against the Yankees.

Needless to say, once playoffs roll around, all the statistical breakdowns and all the number crunching goes right out the window. It’s October – and anything can happen in October baseball.

If you take a look at some of the past World Series winners, the recipe for success seems to be a little bit of luck and a plethora of pitching.

Luck will be on whoever’s side it want’s to be, but as far as pitching goes, the Yankees should have plenty of arms available. Whether Hurricane Joaquin washes out games in Baltimore this weekend or not, Joe Girardi will likely give much-needed rest to Andrew Miller, Dellin Betances, Justin Wilson and Adam Warren – since they are essentially the big arms that will bolster the Yankees bullpen should they need them on Tuesday night.

While the Yankees await to find out their opponent, the only thing that matters is that they’re in – and that mean’s they have a fighting chance to make a run at number 28.

Let’s go Yankees!

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