With Astros Gone-New York Yankees Face Pesky Central Division Clubs
by Bernie Pleskoff · ForbesNew York Yankees fans don’t have to be reminded that their team has not won a World Series since 2009.
It has been 15 years since the Yankees defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 4-2 in the World Series.
In 2022, the Yankees made it to the American League Championship Series against the Houston Astros. The Yankees were swept in the series, 4-0.
In addition, Astros knocked the Yankees out of the American League Championship Series in both 2017, and 2019.
This postseason, the Yankees don’t have to worry about the Astros sending them to the golf course in October.
The Astros were eliminated from the playoffs by the upstart Kansas City Royals, who swept the Astros in a two-games—in Houston.
The Yankees will face the Kansas City Royals in the first game of the American League Division Series Saturday, October 5, in New York.
The game will begin at 6:38 PM Eastern Standard Time.
By virtue of their American League East Division championship, the Yankees will have home field advantage over the Royals, in the best-of-five series.
The Royals finished the regular season with a record of 86-76, tied with the Detroit Tigers, 6.5 games behind the division winning Cleveland Guardians.
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The Tigers face the Guardians in Cleveland in the other American League Division Series. That series begins in Cleveland on Saturday afternoon.
The winner of the series will face the Detroit-Cleveland winner in the American League Championship Series.
Both teams are from the American League Central Division.
Looking At Top Royals Performers:
Fangraphs.com lists the Yankees-Royals Division Series pitching matchups as follows:
October 5-Michael Wacha-RHP (Royals) vs. Gerrit Cole-RHP (Yankees)
October 7-Cole Ragans-LHP (Royals) vs. Carlos Rodon-LHP (Yankees)
October 9-Seth Lugo-RHP (Royals) vs. Luis Gil-RHP (Yankees)
Ragans and Lugo both made the 2024 American League All Star Team.
Wacha pitched well during the season. He finished with a 13-8 record, a 3.35 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP in 29 starts, covering 166.2 innings. He struck out an average of 7.8 per nine innings, and yielded 17 home runs.
Ragans, 26, finished the season with a record of 11-9, and a sparkling 3.14 ERA in 32 starts. In his 322.1 innings pitched, the star lefty struck out an average of 10.8 hitters per nine innings. He gave up just 15 home runs.
Lugo, 34, had the best year of his career. He had a record of 16-9, with an outstanding 3.00 ERA in 33 starts, covering 206.2 innings. He struck out 7.9 hitters per nine innings, and yielded only 16 home runs.
Offensively, the Yankees wil be facing Bobby Witt Jr., one of the finest five-tool players in the game.
All Star Bobby Witt Jr. won the American League batting title, hitting .332 in 709 plate appearances. He hit 45 doubles, 11 triples, and 32 home runs, scored 125 runs, and drove in 109.
Against the Baltimore Orioles in the Wild Card Series, Witt Jr. hit .333.
The Yankees must be aware of catcher Salvador Perez, 34, who brings power and a very savvy history of big game production to the series.
First baseman Vinnie Pasquantino, a left-handed hitter, could be a Royals power threat, especially with the short right field porch in Yankee Stadium.
Looking At Top Yankees Performers:
Cole, 34, returned slowly from injury this year, but he was really solid in his last two starts.
He threw to a record of 8-5, with a 3.41 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in just 17 starts, covering 95 innings. He struck out an average of 9.4 hitters per nine, and yielded 11 home runs.
Rodon, 31, had a fine 16-9 record. He threw to a 3.96 ERA, and 1.22 WHIP in 32 starts, covering 175 innings. Rodon struck out an average of 10 hitters per nine innings, but yielded 31 home runs.
Gil, a rookie at age 26, had a fine 15-7 record, with a 3.50 ERA, and 1.19 WHIP. He made 29 starts, with most of them outstanding. He struck out an average of 10.1 hitters per nine, and yielded 18 home runs.
Offensively, no team in baseball has a dual-threat power combination like Aaron Judge and Juan Soto.
Those two All Star players are consequential threats anytime they have a bat in their hands.
Judge hit .322, with 36 doubles, a triple, and 58 home runs. He scored 122 runs, and drove in 144. He is the presumptive American League Most Valuable Player. And with good reason.
Soto, 25, can become a free agent following the World Series.
Soto hit .288, with 31 doubles, four triples, 41 home runs, while scoring 128 runs and driving in 109.
Royals pitching will have their hands full with Judge and Soto.