MLB Playoff Picture 2022: Hot Takes and Top Storylines for Sunday Schedule
The New York Yankees turn to Gerrit Cole to keep their season alive on Sunday night in Cleveland.
The Yankees dropped Game 3 of the American League Division Series to the Cleveland Guardians on an Oscar Gonzalez two-run walk-off single on Saturday night.
Cleveland comes into Sunday's Game 4 with a 2-1 series lead but at a slight disadvantage in the pitching matchup.
Cole carries a wealth of postseason experience, while Cal Quantrill is making his second career postseason start.
Cole outdueled Quantrill in Game 1 at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, but now he has to achieve that task in Game 4 against a Cleveland team with all the momentum on its side and a strong home pitcher on the mound.
New York can get to Quantrill and force a Game 5 on Monday, but if the Yankees can't touch Cleveland's starter, the Guardians should have the edge in the later innings.
Yankees Need the Best Gerrit Cole to Show Up
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Gerrit Cole ushered in the start of the Yankees' postseason with eight strikeouts over 6.1 innings in Game 1.
The break in between Games 1 and 2 and the rainout that pushed Game 2 from Thursday to Friday allowed the Yankees to throw their ace on full rest into Game 4.
The Yankees need the absolute best version of Cole to keep the Cleveland lineup quiet and to take the fans at Progressive Field out of the contest.
Cole produced at least eight strikeouts in four of his five postseason starts for the Yankees. He lasted into the sixth inning in each of those four starts, and he has not allowed more than three earned runs in the postseason as a Yankee.
Cole's lone blemish on his Yankees postseason resume is a three-run, four-hit concession over two innings against the Boston Red Sox last season.
His overall postseason sample size suggests that Cleveland will find runs hard to come by in the first five or six innings.
New York must maximize their advantage with Cole on the mound so that it does not run into many issues with its bullpen, like it did in Game 3.
Cleveland Holds Edge If Game Is Tied Late
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Emmanuel Clase, James Karinchak, Trevor Stephan and Enyel De Los Santos have not given up a run out of the Cleveland bullpen in the series.
Cleveland's ideal path to a Game 4 and series victory is for Quantrill to toss five or six innings and then for Karinchak and Clase to finish off the contest in the eighth and ninth innings.
The Guardians could see that plan through to success because Quantrill has been great on his home mound this season.
Quantrill produced a 9-0 home record with a 3.28 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. He has not conceded more than three earned runs inside Progressive Field since August 17.
Cleveland would love for Quantrill to match Cole in outs, and that does not have to involve a high strikeout rate in order to get to the best arms in the bullpen.
De Los Santos and Eli Morgan combined for 2.1 shutout innings in Game 3, while Wandy Peralta and Clarke Schmidt were busy blowing the Yankees lead.
New York will have its top end relievers available on Sunday, but the Yankees have been more vulnerable as a bullpen unit in the series.
Cleveland would have the edge if the game is tied in the sixth inning or beyond, and its bullpen arms are capable of tossing three or four shutout innings to either preserve the lead or allow the Cleveland bats to take it.
Did Game 3 Home Run Wake Up Aaron Judge?
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Aaron Judge woke up from his slump with a home run in Game 3.
Judge entered Saturday with seven strikeouts and zero hits against the Cleveland pitching staff.
Judge's third-inning home run off Triston McKenzie could be a welcome sign of things to come for the Yankees, who may need one swing of the bat to decide Game 4 or, potentially, Monday's Game 5.
As good as Quantrill has been at home, he has been susceptible to conceding home runs. Harrison Bader and Anthony Rizzo went yard off the right-hander in Game 1.
Quantrill conceded 14 home runs inside Progressive Field, and that may be the one weakness that the Yankees can exploit in the early innings.
Even if Judge does not hit a home run, he could come up with a big spot with an extra-base hit or a run-scoring knock that shifts the momentum in favor of the visiting side.
An early power boost from Judge would allow the Yankees to dictate the run of the game, and it could force Quantrill out earlier than expected, which, in turn, could tax the Cleveland bullpen on Sunday and Monday.
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