3 players who should make Yankees’ ALDS roster but won’t

The New York Yankees’ 2022 regular season accomplished … basically everything it needed to accomplish. After fighting doubters all offseason, the Yanks ran away with the AL East. The Boston Red Sox are buried in last place. New York staved off an epic collapse in August, while their cross-town rival Mets encountered one in September. Aaron Judge got his history. Gerrit Cole got his franchise record. All seems right in the world.

But, somehow, the Yankees’ forthcoming playoff roster has ended up … less than ideal.

Bullpen stalwart Ron Marinaccio will miss the ALDS with a shin issue. Clay Holmes and Wandy Peralta will both be coming off injuries; their status remains questionable, and the Yankees’ closer spot remains up for grabs. Frankie Montas, acquired to be the team’s No. 2 starter, is missing in action. Some veterans who most probably hoped would be cut midway through the summer remain on the fringes of the roster conversation.

And … is Aroldis Chapman really going to make it again, after Aaron Boone claimed his work Tuesday opened his mind a bit?! Must we do this dance one final time?

Despite these many injuries, the Yankees still have an overflowing roster entering the postseason. Center fielder Harrison Bader recently returned and made his Bronx Bombers debut. Slugger Matt Carpenter is supposedly going to walk directly off the practice fields onto the playoff roster. A fleet of bullpen arms returned during the final weeks of September — and a few might even survive.

There’s still plenty of talent that will not make the Yankees’ postseason roster. Hell, there are talented names that have no chance to make it. But whether it’s due to lack of playing time or lack of fit, these difference-makers won’t get a chance to strut their stuff this October, but probably should at least be considered.

Honorable Mentions: Miguel Castro/Aroldis Chapman. After recent injuries, Castro should definitely make it. Chapman still shouldn’t. But if he did, we’d get it. Ugh. Either way, this decision’s going to feel weird.

Also, Andrew Benintendi. Not gonna happen for the DS, but … we wish it could.

Also, Ron Marinaccio, because the Yankees should’ve just IL’d him and rested him this summer instead of demoting him to Triple-A, if this issue really was nagging him all year. Dipsticks.

3 Yankees players who should make the ALDS roster … but come on, we know they won’t

3. Tim Locastro

The times are certainly changing. Even four or five years ago, Tim Locastro probably would’ve been a lock for a Yankees postseason roster spot for his ability as a late-inning defensive replacement and pinch-runner — especially with Giancarlo Stanton on the roster!

These days, though, it seems likelier the Yankees will carry the slumping Aaron Hicks and the more versatile Marwin González into October, even though neither offers much of anything offensively. Hicks might be able to run into one on the road, but can’t play home games. Locastro probably won’t hit a dinger, but he can lay down a safety squeeze with the best of ’em. Kind of a bummer.

The bullpen is entirely in flux, but the bench seems fairly settled, as long as Carpenter can give it a go. And that stinks! Locastro can’t play shortstop and he can’t hit occasional three-run homers against the Astros, but his 8-10 bags stolen would likely provide more value than either Hicks or González could provide.

Ah, well. He won’t get a chance, though.

1. Oswald Peraza

Once the regular-season division title was clinched, top prospect Oswald Peraza all of a sudden started playing shortstop all the time over Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

And … what do you know? It worked. He was very good at it. Huh.

This non-debate has been sealed for quite a while. If healthy, Josh Donaldson/DJ LeMahieu, Kiner-Falefa, and Gleyber Torres will all get reps on the infield. Bizarrely, LeMahieu might be the one left as a super sub entering October, even as he’s regained the ability to spray line drives these past few games.

As stated earlier, Aaron Hicks and Marwin González seem glued to the bench, even though Peraza has proven every time he’s been inserted into the lineup that he’s a higher-upside player, even as a 22-year-old rookie.

Given a month longer runway, fellow rookie Oswaldo Cabrera was able to establish himself as intrinsic to the Yankees’ playoff hopes. Hell, he’s going to play left field, a position he hadn’t even been considered for as recently as August. He’s going to start in an all-new position.

If Benintendi, for instance, were healthy, Cabrera could be carried as a floating González replacement, allowing the Yankees to consider bringing Peraza along for the ride as an infield backup and jettisoning Hicks. Instead, they’d have to choose Peraza over Kiner-Falefa for the kid to have a chance here, and the Yankees have shown us time and again that that’s not happening.

In September/October, IKF saved himself somewhat, managing a .258/.333/.382 triple-slash with a 123 OPS+ in a small sample size. He’s entering October hot … but Peraza remains hotter, sporting a 141 OPS+ mark since his debut.

When he plays, he hits. He also fields. Kiner-Falefa does both things, sometimes, but the Yankees made their call before they even saw the kid. And that’s what hurts.

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