https://twitter.com/JeffPassan Game 4 of the ALCS has been postponed. The fallout is going to be awfully interesting. What's certain: Masahiro Tanaka and Zack Greinke will pitch on full rest in Game 4. Certainly helps the Yankees. Less certain: When do both teams deploy their bullpen game? If the Astros win Game 4 and are up 3-1, they could run out Justin Verlander on full rest in Game 5 and try to button up the series in New York. Or they could pocket him, knowing they've got him and Gerrit Cole on full rest with just one game to win down in Houston. If the Astros lose Game 4 and the series is tied, the incentive to pitch Verlander in Game 5 certainly would strengthen. But again: Potentially being down 3-2 in the series but headed home with Verlander and Cole isn't the worst position. It's why Game 3 was so important. For the Yankees, while getting Tanaka for Game 4 on full rest is a gift, the reality of days on four consecutive games is a nightmare. Their strength is their bullpen, and the idea that they can tax their best arms four days in a row just is not realistic. Remember, Aaron Boone didn't use his relievers on back-to-back-to-back days at all during the regular season. Now, perhaps he was judicious to save them for October, but it's an enormous ask, and the Yankees are going to need far better starting pitching than they've gotten. If the Yankees win Game 4 with Tanaka, do they go with James Paxton on full rest in G5 or use their bullpen game then. It may depend on when the Astros play Verlander. If he pitches in 5, do the Yankees punt with the 'pen game and go Paxton/Severino on full rest in Houston? tl;dr version: The next few days in the ALCS are going to be utterly fascinating. There could be plenty of gamesmanship -- start Chad Green, act like it's going to be a bullpen game, then bring in Paxton? -- and high intrigue. Great series given a unique twist by the rain. P.S.: One more thing in favor of running out Justin Verlander in 5 on full rest if the Astros win 4: If they can finish the series in New York, Houston would have Gerrit Cole for Game 1 of the World Series and Verlander on full rest for Game 2. That would be enormous.
World Series is set in Stone and will not change based off the ALCS. Game 1 Tue Game 2 Wed Game 3 Fri Game 4 Sat Game 5 Sun Game 6 Tue Game 7 Wed (2 weeks from today).
If Cole pitches in game 6...it would be on short rest. That would be terrible. Cole needs to pitch game 7 on full rest. Verlander looked horrible on short rest. Pitching someone on short rest sounds good but doesn't always work out. Decisions decisions...
Hey if that’s the case , you put the game 6 starter on a plane back to Houston on Friday afternoon lol . He’ll get in town in time to watch the game , have a nice meal , and go to sleep .
Fly Verlander home early so he can get ready for game 6. That red eye flight for both teams will be difficult. Have a fresh Verlander camping out on the mound waiting for Yankees for game 6.
Goodness, is there a bigger whinier baby than Ben DuBose? What are they supposed to do, play in the rain?? Does he want MLB to give them a makeup travel day? If they do that and it goes 7, then they would play Game 7 Monday and start the World Series on Tuesday. He complains about everything.
If we are facing elimination in game 6 then Cole is 100% pitching on short rest. Game 7 would mean absolutely zero at that point. Hinch is not gonna say "well. .... let's do the bullpen for game 6 and have it be a coin flip... but if we win ... the yeah we get GC on full rest for game 7".
Hence no off day for traveling. There's no way MLB will make the winner of the ALCS start the World Series the very next day. Especially if it's the Yankees and they have to go from H-Town back to NYC to host the Nationals.
he prefers the friday game to be scheduled in the afternoon. which makes more sense for the players. he's obviously looking at it from the players perspective and not the advertisers the schedule is pleasing. he never said anything about a makeup travel day or playing in the rain.
If you want to say Cole and Verlander are better than Strasburg and Scherzer, then OK. I'll disagree that Urqiudy is better than Sanchez. Looking at the MLB level, Sanchez and Urquidy have similar ERA+ (119 vs 118) and you can argue Urquidy's peripherals look better, but Sanchez has pitched 179 innings to Urquidy's 43. Urquidy has pitched more than 6 innings or more in a game 3 times, Sanchez has done it 15 times. In the playoffs has pitched 12.2 innings with 1 ER and a WHIP of .55 while Urquidy has pitched a shaky 1.2 innings with a WHIP of 2.4. Does Urquidy have better stuff or more potential going forward than Sanchez? Sure. However Sanchez has a much larger sample size, has shown the ability to pitch deeper into games, and is currently pitching really well in the playoffs. We can disagree on whether the Astros starting pitching is better than the Nationals, but the Nationals are the one team that has a comparable rotation. On the other side, the Nationals are one of the few team in the playoffs where you'd say the Astros have a clearly superior bullpen.
Right....but I don't want to get to that point. Grenike goes game 4. If he wins....Verlander pitches game 5. If Grenike loses... Fly Verlander home for game 6 on full rest and take your chances with Urquidy and the bullpen.
I'm pretty sure he's more concerned playing a night game before travel. It will be a b**** for both teams.