In his last round, in Game Two on Friday, Nestor Cortes threw 92 throws over five rounds. “He’ll do his best,” said manager Aaron Boone, starting today on a short break, but “the game is clearly going to play a big part in that.”
Almost everyone on the Yankees’ staff will be available — including, perhaps, right-handed Gerrit Cole. Boone said he’ll check in with Cole, who threw 110 throws over seven rounds in their Game 4 win, before the first show this afternoon.
“He can definitely play his part, but we’ll see how it goes here in the next few hours with him,” Boone said.
In other words, Cole could be an option to beat the inning in relief.
For a Bullpen that has been exhausted by injuries all season, including the weeks leading up to playoffs, Cole can create or close. But Monday’s downpour will allow Yankees thinners who have given so much over three straight days of games — from Friday to Sunday — to be available on Tuesday.
For example: left-handed player Wandy Peralta, who participated in every game of the series. He threw 27 shots over one and two third innings on Saturday and then seven in Sunday’s strong ninth game to earn the save.
And of course, there’s the closest All-Star player Clay Holmes, who struggled with injuries and inconsistency in the second half of the season. His condition turned into a minor sensation for the Yankees after they exploded in Game Three on Saturday, when Boone decided not to use Holmes – who he said was ready to play – for the second day in a row as Holmes returned from a shoulder injury in the playoffs. ; Boone said Holmes would only play consecutive games in the event of an emergency.
With Monday’s game over, Holmes, who made a goalless eighth inning on Sunday, should be ready and available today.