Rested Rays, Rolling Yankees
The Yankees sweated one-run games for six months. Then October handed them two blowouts. The starters went deep, the bullpen stayed fresh, and the lineup punished lefties and righties alike. A raucous Stadium crowd gave the Red Sox a taste of the old, hostile Bronx, and Boston looked intimidated.
Boston’s manager lent a hand. He yanked Sonny Gray after four and a third innings and 70 pitches while Gray was dealing, and Aaron Boone barely had to manage.
Tampa, on the other hand, hasn’t felt the postseason yet. The Rays sat for a full week, and the nerves, the new routine and a little rust could all show up in Game 1 on Saturday. The Yankees already took their first punch and now they get a few days to line up the rotation, with Cam Schlittler waiting in Game 2.
The added days rest also means Aaron Judge gets time to return, even if they didn’t need the captain for the sweep.
“The Yankees looked at their best in the postseason as we’ve seen them in many years... without Aaron Judge.”
Why Skubal Isn’t Worth $400 Million
The Mets are watching October from home, so the Tarik Skubal is starting early. early. A $400 million price tag buys a pitcher who throws seven innings every fifth day, if he stays healthy. Max Fried signed for eight years and $218 million, and Skubal would cost double that.
The Mets need arms, plural. The free-agent class is thin, so trades have to fill the gaps. A Skubal-only plan leaves the roster lopsided, while the Yankees’ homegrown core shows a better blueprint.
“You’ve gotta build a team. It’s not about chasing superstars to spend the most money. It is about building a balanced team period.”
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