Yankees player grades for ALDS sweep of Twins

The Yankees beat the Twins 5-1 on Monday night to complete the three-game sweep and march on to the ALCS. Let’s take a look back at the players responsible for beating Minnesota for the 13th straight time in the postseason.

No, the Yankees won’t have home-field advantage in the ALCS, should they play the Astros, but the Yanks swept the Twins and therefore, will have at least one extra day off before the next series begins on Saturday.

Should the Rays and Diego Castillo pull out Game 4 versus Justin Verlander, who is on short rest, and force a Game 5 back in Houston on Thursday with Gerrit Cole, likely getting the start, the Bombers would be sitting pretty.

However, let’s not put the cart before the horse. Instead, let’s talk about what we know, and that is just how good the majority of Yankee players performed against the Twins. After all, New York outscored Minnesota 23-7.

The Yankees lineup did precisely the opposite of what Rocco Baldelli’s Twins had game planned for — to stay away from swinging at the first pitch, work the count and wait for favorable situations that allowed for balls in the zone to drive.