2 Yankees on the outside looking in at playoff roster for 2025 Wild Card round

You could argue that these soon-to-be discarded Yankees would've had value in their first-round playoff matchup with the Boston Red Sox, but it'd fall on deaf ears.

As the Yankees prepare for Garrett Crochet in Game 1, rumor has it they might be getting a little too cute with their lineup, putting a few key power producers on the bench in favor of the matchup advantage. When it comes to the fringes of their roster, they appear to be thinking a bit more logically — but these two players will still likely be kept on ice for future rounds.

Every year, seemingly, the Yankees elevate someone you haven't heard from in months — if at all — to participate in their initial playoff round. Given how short this particular series is, the priority is carrying flexible arms and not weighing your roster down with starters who will never start.

That's why, even though Luis Gil was an intriguing matchup for Games 1-3, given his 0.99 career ERA against the Red Sox, he'll instead be asked to stay home this time around after pitching the regular season finale against the Orioles.

2 Yankees who'll be left off first 2025 playoff roster vs. Boston Red Sox

Gil will, presumably, be the Yankees' No. 4 starter if they move on to an additional round of the postseason — but he might've been helpful here. While he wouldn't be able to appear in Games 1 or 2, don't lie: you're a little more confident with breaking glass in case of emergency and turning to Gil on three days' rest in Game 3 over Will Warren. Hopefully, it doesn't come to that. The Yankees have made their call.

That means there's an extra roster spot available for a 'pen arm instead of a starter, and it seems likely it'll go to Brent Headrick, who joined the Yankees in the Bronx in case they called for him.

The Yankees always seem to enter seasons under-prepared in terms of lefty relief options, and this season was no different. Headrick, who can hit upper 90s on the gun, offers something very different from the arsenals of Tim Hill and Ryan Yarbrough.

Still, that means their medium-leverage king from earlier in the season, Yerry de los Santos, will presumably get the shaft here as well. He lost steam as his tenure in the Bronx dragged on, but he was counted on plenty in the first half to erase three innings at a time in blowouts, and he did so quite well (despite his 1.514 WHIP).

Now, we're mere hours away from the answer to the question that's on everybody's lips: is Paul Blackburn getting a spot, or nah?!