NEW YORK – Make it two straight walk-off wins for the Yankees, lifted to victory by Juan Soto’s 10th inning single Thursday night.
“They were running hard at me,’’ Soto said of his teammates, celebrating a 2-1 win against the rival Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. “It was a fun way to finish the game.’’
One night after Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s 11th inning single scored Jon Berti, sinking the Kansas City Royals, Berti again raced home from second base as a pinch-runner – this time on Soto’s ground single to left.
Soto’s first “walk-off’’ moment in pinstripes pushed the Yankees two games ahead of second place Baltimore in the AL East, with 15 games left – including three head-to-head games.
During this sprint, manager Aaron Boone will be narrowing his six-man rotation to five, and ultimately to four during postseason.
“There may be some guys who’ll end up in multi-different kind of roles,’’ said Boone. Ultimately, the task is “to make the best decisions we can…to put guys in a position to be successful.’’
Nestor Cortes pledges to help Yankees' cause in any role
Maybe the Yankees already tipped their hand with Nestor Cortes, using the lefty in a multi-inning role last Saturday at Wrigley Field behind Clarke Schmidt, just coming off the injured list.
Cortes responded brilliantly, tossing 4.1 hitless innings to seal a 2-0 win against the Cubs.
Back in the rotation Thursday night, Cortes lasted five innings, gave up a solo homer to Danny Jansen, and struck out nine Red Sox, who ran his pitch count to 92.
Rescued by the bullpen quartet of Ian Hamilton, Tim Hill, Tommy Kahnle and Clay Holmes – who recorded two outs in a drama-free 10th to earn the win – Cortes isn’t sure of his role going forward.
Upset at being bumped from the rotation last week, Cortes admitted he “might have come off like I was asking for too much, but I got my point across.
But ultimately, “I’m going to do whatever this team (wants),’’ whether it’s middle relief, long relief “or starting a full game.’’
The goal of winning a division title is “in sight,’’ said Cortes. “And with two weeks (to go), all we want to do is win ballgames.’’
Ranking the Yankees' relief options, from their pool of starters
After Gerrit Cole and lefty Carlos Rodon, the Yankees can structure a postseason rotation in any number of ways.
“I feel like we have a lot of good choices, and a lot of people that are very much in conversation for different roles,’’ Boone said of this semi-audition period. "(It's) a good problem to have.''
But it's still a problem, where egos are involved, and adjustments need to be made. Let's take a look at the options to move from rotation to bullpen this October:
Marcus Stroman
Reason to stay in the rotation: Stroman has made just two relief appearances since 2015, and both came last September with the Chicago Cubs. At that time, Stroman was just off the injured list due to right hip inflammation and was gradually building back toward the rotation.
He’s not a hard thrower, relying mainly on sinkers, cutters and sliders, so there’s a lack of swing and miss here (an element the Yanks could use in their ‘pen).
Reason to move to the bullpen: There are currently more appealing rotation choices than Stroman, who could arguably be the sixth pitcher on a five-man staff. In that case, is there room for a swingman on the postseason roster and could Stroman handle that role?
Bottom line: Stroman is better suited as a starter, and this is now a critical performance period.
Clarke Schmidt
Reason to stay in the rotation: Schmidt’s start Friday against Boston is his second since coming off the IL, due to a lat strain. He’s still building stamina, but Schimdt was terrific over his first 11 starts (2.52 ERA) before the injury.
Reason to move to the bullpen: The right-hander was largely a reliever as late as 2022, and you could see him in that Michael King-type multi-inning role, with his stuff playing up out of the 'pen.
Bottom line: Additionally, the confident Schmidt's fearless factor could be a benefit out of the bullpen.
Luis Gil
Reason to stay in the rotation: He’s made two mostly encouraging starts since coming off the IL (back strain), and he was the team’s most valuable starter – and a top AL Rookie of the Year candidate – during Cole’s absence due to an elbow nerve issue.
Reason to move to the bullpen: Everyone knows how Gil has exceeded his previous single season innings threshold, during this comeback season after rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. This would be a way to limit his workload while watching his electric fastball become a potentially greater weapon in relief.
Bottom line: He's been such an effective starter, and if Holmes and company can stabilize the bullpen, why move Gil into a foreign role?
Nestor Cortes
Reasons to stay in the rotation: Cortes' creativity and moxie are big plusses, and he's posted a 3.11 ERA in 15 home starts.
Reason to move to the bullpen: A journeyman before his 2022 All-Star season, Cortes is perhaps the Yankees' most adaptable pitcher, and he's already proven he can handle any role.
Bottom line: Taking advantage of Cortes' flexibility, the Yanks might employ him in a hybrid swing role.
After Thursday's game, Cortes said that "no matter where I am, there's always that chip on my shoulder as far as belonging here. I never want to lose that edge.''
Cortes repeated that he'd made his point, expressing his displeasure last weekend about being bumped from the rotation, but "if this team needs me to come out of the 'pen'' in postseason, Cortes said he's ready, willing and able.
