Gary Sheffield, Jr
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Aaron Boone has officially named 21-year-old Deivi Garcia the starter for Game 2 against the Tampa Bay Rays. This comes as a major surprise because of his age, but his play calls for this type of responsibility.
Deivi Garcia will start Game 2 of the ALDS. pic.twitter.com/Gx93ilFkpM
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) October 5, 2020
Garcia finished the 2020 campaign with a 4.98 ERA, which doesn’t look good on paper. However, most of his success has come during big games when the Yankees were sinking in the standings, so that’s the thinking here. Aaron Boone is expecting Garcia to simulate big-game pressure to bring the best out of this kid.
Game 2 starter Deivi Garcia: “For me, it’s been a journey of preparing myself, doing everything I can to improve as a player. I was hoping for an opportunity to get into a game like this, at this level.” #YankeesZoomRoom #Postseason pic.twitter.com/3GD5a9JG7b
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) October 5, 2020
Deivi Garcia was seen earlier this year wearing Gerrit Cole’s belt to honor his hero Pedro Martinez in his home debut. The rookie needs to go full Pedro Martinez if the Yankees want to take down the Tampa Bay Rays outside of Yankees Stadium.
Of course you could make the argument that the Bombers don’t have to face this Rays team at Tropicana, which helps them too. Either way, these games are going to be massive, so a Game 2 gem from Garcia will be crucial.
Game 1 starts tonight @ 8:07 ET on TBS. Gerrit Cole goes head-to-head with 2018’s Cy Young winner Blake Snell. Can’t wait!
Good for Aa-ron !!!! (Apologies to the QB in GB)
I don’t get how this makes sense with Tanaka and/or J.A. Happ available? The playoffs are where you throw young pitchers into the fire to see if they sink or swim? What if they lose game 1? Boone doesn’t deserve the benefit of the doubt on this one.
If you lose game 1 you aren’t winning the series anyway. They got Gerrit Cole to specifically do what he did now if they win game 2 Tampa is on the ropes with a big game pitcher to throw a close-out game.
So we thought. Still waiting for an article about that. There’s a lot to say. Boone a move last year in Game 2 (also up 1-0) that strikingly resembles last night’s disaster. Chad Greene. 6 batters 6 outs 25 pitches (20 strikes). Judge had just hit a hr to make it 2-1. Retires first batter brings in ottavino to face springer. First pitch hr. Changed momentum of game and series. Different circumstances but same result last night…and far more indefensible. Aaron Analytics. Even if it was cashman pushing the idea, you say no. You’re the manager. Field is your domain. You control the lineup. Contract is up. Won’t pick up 2021 option on Boone.
Buck Showalter baby.