Yankees Playoffs: Here’s a sneak peek at NYY Taxi Squad

The New York Yankees Taxi Squad for the 2020 MLB Playoffs is coming together.

The 2020 Yankees season has been all over the place, so why would something as simple as “assembling a Taxi Squad to hang out in the bubble for the playoffs” be any different?

It’s certainly a big ask. Based on 2020 rules, each postseason team must have an isolated set of backups, all of whom have to live the same restricted life as the MLB players, likely without any of the glory.

According to Brian Cashman, the team struck out a few times in requesting players to come join that crew for however long the October run would last. We had our fun speculating about who might have dipped on the whole endeavor, disappointing the organization, but after Saturday’s sneak peek at the early mechanics of the squad, it appears we might’ve guessed wrong.

Yes, Miguel Andujar and Mike Ford appear to have opted in, by far the most experienced (and formerly essential) Yankees in the pool. We were worried that after Andujar’s agent’s comments last week about his demotion, he might’ve bristled at the idea and tanked his standing in the organization further. But nope! He’s taken on the task, though we can’t report on his enthusiasm for it.

Additional veteran presences include Matt Duffy (who never appeared in the Bronx in 2020, against all odds), Thairo Estrada, catcher Rob Brantly, and Jordy Mercer, who you may recall from his midseason cameo in Gleyber Torres’ stead.

Estevan Florial doesn’t appear to be a part of things, but you can’t read too far into that — his ceiling, for this particular postseason, would’ve been as a pinch-runner.

After the player pool expanded all the way to 60 during the regular season, this Taxi Squad can only consist of a maximum of 12 men, living out a somewhat depressing version of the bubble and following the Yankees on their postseason journey.

Luckily, it seems like most of the big names have chosen to participate.

Yankees Playoffs 2020: Who will New York face in Wild Card series?

The New York Yankees have clinched a spot in the 2020 postseason. Who will they face in the first round for their Wild Card series?