Cleveland has thrived in the underdog role and the Yankees have dominated at home this season, going 57-24. The Guardians know the odds were stacked against them coming into the year, and the club is hoping to prove that it’s capable of more than anyone imagined with its first trip to the ALCS since 2016. But New York is ready to keep the momentum rolling.
“If there is a game being played, we feel like we’re in the driver’s seat,” Yankees center fielder Harrison Bader said. “That’s how we remain dangerous.”
When is the game and how can I watch it?
Game 5 is at 7 p.m. ET Monday on TBS. All games are available in the U.S. on MLB.TV (authentication to a participating Pay TV provider is required). Live games are also available in select countries outside the U.S. For full details click here.
Who are the starting pitchers?
Guardians: Aaron Civale (5-6, 4.92 ERA) will make his postseason debut in the do-or-die Game 5 on Monday. The right-hander hasn’t pitched since the last game of the regular season, when he allowed two runs on five hits against the Royals. Civale made two starts against the Yankees this year and neither was overwhelmingly successful, considering he was knocked out after three innings and six runs in April and allowed four runs on five hits (two homers) in six frames in July.
Yankees: Jameson Taillon (14-5, 3.91 ERA) will be making his first career postseason start and second appearance, having come out of the bullpen to face three hitters in the 10th inning of ALDS Game 2. Taillon faced the Guardians once this season, hurling five innings of one-run ball in a winning effort on April 22 at Yankee Stadium. He said that he is “built up for whatever they need,” even though this will be Taillon’s first start since Oct. 4 at Texas, when he threw 97 pitches in a six-inning no-decision.
What might the starting lineups look like?
Guardians: With another righty on the mound, don’t look for Cleveland to make any changes to its lineup now. The club will likely stick with the same batting order as Games 3 and 4 in Cleveland, as Josh Naylor continues to bounce back from a sore right ankle.
Yankees: The Game 4 decision to bench shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa in favor of Oswaldo Cabrera is expected to carry over into Game 5, with manager Aaron Boone saying that he would “probably” stick with the rookie who handled everything hit his way with the season on the line. That could mean another start in left field for Aaron Hicks, since Giancarlo Stanton and Matt Carpenter still aren’t ready to play defense.
How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Guardians: The one thing working in Cleveland’s favor is the fact that its bullpen is well-rested. Trevor Stephan, James Karinchak and Emmanuel Clase haven’t pitched since Game 2 in New York on Friday. With the season on the line, the team will have an all-hands-on-deck approach, ready to deploy its best arms when needed.
Yankees: It’s all hands on deck for a win-or-winter contest, including the rubber-armed Wandy Peralta, who has now appeared in all four games of this ALDS. Clay Holmes threw 17 pitches in the eighth inning of Game 4 and, even though the Yanks would not bring him into Game 3, manager Aaron Boone now confirms they’d use Holmes in a back-to-back situation if needed.
Guardians: Naylor is still recovering from jamming his right ankle into first base on Friday night. He’s been limited to a DH role in Games 3 and 4, which will likely remain the case for Game 5.
Yankees: There are no notable injuries on the active roster, but Stanton has yet to play the outfield since sustaining a left Achilles injury in July. Carpenter is also still not in play for full defensive duties, stemming from a left foot fracture sustained on Aug. 8.
Who is hot and who is not?
Guardians: Kwan has hit .412 with a 1.092 OPS in the ALDS thus far. He’s been a consistent force at the top of the Guardians’ order and the team will need him to be a sparkplug in the critical Game 5. Although Ramírez has picked up his fair share of hits, the third baseman has made a lot of weak contact over the past few games.
Yankees: Bader hit his third homer of the ALDS in Game 4; he’s 4-for-14 in the series, with 13 total bases. Rizzo is also 4-for-14 in the series with a double, homer and three RBIs. Judge (2-for-16, nine strikeouts) and Stanton (1-for-12, five strikeouts) have contributed little. Cabrera is 2-for-15 with eight strikeouts.
Anything else fans might want to know?
• In the history of best-of-five postseason series, teams trailing 2-1 that won Game 4 to stay alive went on to also win Game 5 in 26 of 47 instances (55%). However, in all winner-take-all postseason games, true home teams (excluding neutral-site games) have gone only 61-63 (.492), including 0-1 this year (Mets vs. Padres in Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Series).
• Cleveland has lost seven consecutive winner-take-all games. That’s the second-longest streak in postseason history, trailing just the A’s (nine straight from 2000-19).
• Over the past six postseasons (since 2017), the Yankees are 8-5 in potential elimination games, including their win in Game 4.