New York Yankees: ALDS Game 1 Preview and Prediction

For the first time since 2012, the New York Yankees will be playing in the American League Division Series. Seems like forever for Yankees fans but it was only five years ago. So what can we expect from Game 1 against the Cleveland Indians?

ALDS Game 1:

New York Yankees @ Cleveland Indians 7:38 pm ET

Starting Pitchers:

New York Yankees: Sonny Gray (10-12, 3.55 ERA) (4-7, 3.72 ERA with Yankees)

Cleveland Indians: Trevor Bauer (17-9, 4.19 ERA)

Season Series:

Aug. 3-6 Series:

Yankees 1 – Indians 5

Yankees 2 – Indians 7

Yankees 2 – Indians 1

Yankees 8 – Indians 1

Aug. 28-30 Series:

Indians 6 – Yankees 2

Indians 2 – Yankees 1

Indians 9 – Yankees 4

Trevor Bauer vs Yankees in 2017:

Aug. 4: 7.0 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 HR, 2 BB, 7 K – Win

Aug. 30: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 4 K – Win

Sonny Gray vs Indians in 2017:

May 30 (with Athletics): 4.2 IP, 9 H, 7 ER, 1 HR, 2 BB, 3 K – Loss

July 14 (with Athletics): 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K – Win

Aug. 3 (with Yankees): 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K – Loss

Both teams will be without their aces for Game 1 as Luis Severino ‘pitched’ in the AL Wild Card Game and Corey Kluber is resting for Game 2. Trevor Bauer, however, is a great second option as he went 17-9 this season, ultimately helping the Indians get the best record in the American League.

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Sonny Gray, who last pitched on Sept. 28, going 4.2 innings and letting up six earned runs on six hits against the Rays, will take the bump for the New York Yankees. In the month of September, Gray pitched in six games and had a record of 2-4 with a 4.58 ERA and went an average of 5.85 innings per start.

The key to this game for the Yankees is going to be Aaron Judge and the offense. If the ‘Toe-Night Show’ can make a few appearances tonight, it will help the Yankees in a great way.

If the AL Wild Card Game against the Twins told us anything, it was that as long as the offense is doing their job, it doesn’t matter how deep the starting pitcher goes. The offense will get the job done. Trevor Bauer is a great pitcher and the Yankees need to jump on him early and often if they want to take a 1-0 lead in this series.

Next: AL Wild Card Game Takeaways

Prediction:

Yankees 2 – Indians 7

Unfortunately for the Yankees, it is going to be very tough to beat the Indians at Progressive Field in Game 1. In Bauer’s two starts against the Yankees this year, he has gone seven innings and six innings, letting up a combined 11 hits with just two earned runs.

For this reason, I think the Cleveland Indians will take a 1-0 series lead over the New York Yankees and hand the ball over to their ace, and probable AL Cy Young, Corey Kluber for Game 2.

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