Yankees start Happ in opener vs. Red Sox, possibly wild-card game
The New York Yankees still haven't announced who will start the American League wild-card game against the Oakland A's next Wednesday.
But Thursday, before a 12-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays reduced their magic number for clinching home field for the game to one, the Yankees did announce their rotation for the weekend regular-season finale in Boston.
It sure looks like J.A. Happ will be the wild-card starter.
The left-hander, 6-0 with a 2.18 ERA in nine starts with New York, opens the Fenway Park series against Rick Porcello. Lance Lynn goes Saturday and Luis Severino on Sunday.
That would leave Happ on his regular rest for the wild card, but Severino will have just two days' rest.
Happ has pitched well in his career against Boston, leading to speculation that Happ would be saved for the Red Sox. But manager Aaron Boone said the focus is on Oakland, regardless of where the game is played.
"No," Boone said. "I would say we're going to pour everything kind of into the wild-card game and what we think will give us the best chance."
Masahiro Tanaka apparently took himself out of consideration with two straight bad starts. Severino, who had been the ace, recovered some from his recent struggles but doesn't appear to be all the way back.
That leaves Happ, who is 16-6 with a 3.57 ERA overall with Toronto and New York and should be rewarded -- quite possible by the Yankees -- with a free agent contract this winter.
He is 7-4 with a 2.82 career ERA against the Red Sox, 4-2 with a 2.91 ERA at Fenway Park. He would be in line for only one ALDS start -- Game 3, which would be in New York.
Happ has pitched three times, in three different stadiums, against Boston this season, going 0-1 with two good starts and one shaky. He has 22 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings against the Red Sox.
Porcello, 17-7 with a 4.33 ERA, is 2-0 with a 2.53 ERA this year against the Yankees -- 10-8 with a 3.16 ERA this season. He has had one bad start against New York this season, but his other two have been gems -- one run and three hits in 16 innings with 15 strikeouts.
The Yankees expect to have Aaron Hicks (hamstring) back in the lineup Friday night and may well get Didi Gregorius back this weekend.
The Red Sox have some bad numbers against Happ, but former teammate and close friend Steve Pearce is 10-for-29 (.345) with five home runs against his buddy. Brandon Phillips is 8-for-29 (.348) with three homers, and two of Ian Kinsler's seven hits have been home runs.
But Andrew Benintendi is 0-for-15, Sandy Leon 1-for-10 (.100), Jackie Bradley Jr. 3-for-20 (.150), Xander Bogaerts 5-for-29 (.172), Mookie Betts 6-for-32 (,188) with a homer, Rafael Devers 2-for-9 (.222) and J.D. Martinez 4-for-17 (.235).
The Yankees have dreadful numbers against Porcello, hitting a cumulative .214 (60-for-81) but with 13 homers. Neil Walker is 1-for-14 (.071), Greg Bird 1-for-12 (.083), Andrew McCutcheon 1-for-10 (.100), Austin Romine 1-for-9 (.111), Hicks 4-for-31 (.129) with two homers, Gary Sanchez 2-for-13 (.154), Ronald Torreyes 2-for-12 (.167) and Adeiny Hechavarria 4-for-22 (.182).
The Red Sox, who will open the ALDS at home next Friday and Saturday, have already broken the club record for wins in a season and, after an off-day Thursday, come into this game at 107-52.
Chris Sale, who will pitch Game 1, took the loss in Wednesday night's second game of a day/night double-header at Fenway.
"Obviously I'm not where I want to be," he said after working 4 2/3 innings, his velocity down.
"Not great, we saw that," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "Velocity wasn't great. The slider, the two (players) that he hit, but then after that he had a few swings and misses. The changeup was OK."
The Yankees hit four homers, two by Giancarlo Stanton, and CC Sabathia notched his 246th career win Thursday. But the victory was costly for Sabathia, who was ejected in the sixth inning for throwing at Jesus Sucre. The ejection left him two innings shy of the 155 he needed for a $500,000 bonus.
"I don't really make decisions based on money, I guess," said Sabathia, who would likely start a Game 4 of the ALDS. "I just felt like it was the right thing to do."
