ALDS Game 5 has been rescheduled for Tuesday at 4:07 p.m. ET. The story below featuring an overview of Game 5 will be updated soon.
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 heading into the year, and the club hope to prove they are capable of more than anyone imagined with their first trip to the ALCS since 2016. But New York is ready to maintain momentum.
“If there’s a game going, we feel like we’re in the driver’s seat,” Yankees center fielder Harrison Bader said. “That’s how we stay dangerous.”
When is the match and how can I watch it?
Game 5 has been rescheduled for Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET on TBS. All games are available in the US on MLB.TV (authentication with a participating pay-TV provider is required). Live games are also available in select countries outside of the United States For all the details, click here.
Who are the starting pitchers?
Guardians: Aaron Civale (5-6, 4.92MPM) will make their playoff debut in the fifth game. The right-hander hasn’t thrown since the last game of the regular season, when he allowed two runs on five hits against the Royals. Civale has made two starts against the Yankees this year and neither has been a landslide success, given he was put out after three innings and six runs in April and allowed four runs on five hits (two home runs) in six executives in July.
Yankees: Jameson Taillon (14-5, 3.91 ERA) will make his first career postseason start and second appearance, after coming out of the bullpen to face three batters in the 10th inning of the ALDS Game 2. Taillon faced the Guardians once this season, throwing five one-run innings in a game-winning effort on April 22 at Yankee Stadium. He said he was “built for everything they need,” although it will be Taillon’s first start since Oct. 4 in Texas, when he threw 97 pitches in six undecided innings.
What are the starting formations?
Guardians: With another right-hander on the mound, Cleveland made no changes to their roster. The club followed the same batting order as in Games 3 and 4 in Cleveland, as Josh Naylor continues to recover from sore right ankle.
Yankees: The Game 4 decision to bench shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa in favor of Oswaldo Cabrera carried over into Game 5, while manager Aaron Boone stuck with the rookie who handled everything with the season on the line on Sunday. That meant another start in left field for Aaron Hicks, as Giancarlo Stanton and Matt Carpenter are still not ready to play defense.
How will the paddocks line up after the starter?
Guardians: The only thing that works in Cleveland’s favor is the fact that their 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 a holistic approach, ready to deploy their best weapons when needed.
Yankees: Everyone is on deck for a win or win contest, including 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 while the Yanks wouldn’t take him into Game 3, manager Aaron Boone now confirms they would use Holmes in a back-to-back situation if necessary.
Guardians: Naylor is still recovering from pinching his right ankle at first base Friday night. He was 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 suffering a left Achilles tendon injury in July. Carpenter is still not on the line for full defensive duties, stemming from a broken left foot sustained Aug. 8.
Who’s hot and who’s not?
Guardians: Kwan has reached 0.412 with an OPS of 1.092 in the ALDS so far. He’s been a consistent force at the top of the Guardians order and the team will need him to be a spark plug in Critical Game 5. Although Ramírez had his fair share of hits, the third baseman made a lot of weak contacts. in recent matches.
Yankees: Bader hit his third ALDS homer in game 4; he’s 4 for 14 in the series, with 13 goals overall. Rizzo is also 4 for 14 in the series with a brace, home run and three RBIs. Judge (2 for 16, nine strikeouts) and Stanton (1 for 12, five strikeouts) contributed little. Cabrera is 2 for 15 with eight strikeouts.
Anything else fans might want to know?
• In best-of-five postseason playoff history, teams trailing 2-1 who won Game 4 to stay alive have also won Game 5 in 26 of 47 cases (55 %). However, in all win-win post-season games, true home teams (excluding neutral-site games) went just 61-63 (.492), including 0-1 this year (Mets against Padres in Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Series).
• Cleveland have lost seven consecutive games to the winner. It’s the second-longest streak in playoff history, behind only the A’s (nine in a row from 2000-19).
• In the past six playoffs (since 2017), the Yankees are 8-5 in potential elimination games, including their Game 4 win.