Sabathia Speculates on Yankees’ Rotation
Former Yankees pitcher and Hall of Famer, CC Sabathia, has shared his thoughts on who might start Game 1 for the Yankees against the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Division Series. Despite not having a say in the decision, Sabathia feels confident about his prediction.
During a discussion on the Peacock studio show on September 30, after the Yankees defeated the Boston Red Sox in their AL wild-card series, Sabathia talked about who might take the mound for the Yankees. Host Ahmed Fareed mentioned that Gerrit Cole is expected to start against the Rays this Saturday in Tampa Bay.
“Yeah, and then (Carlos) Rodon after that,” said Sabathia. “Now they’re set up with two other aces to start the first two games.”
Sabathia’s Legacy and Yankees’ Recent Performance
Sabathia, who ended his illustrious career in a Yankees uniform, is now serving as a studio analyst with NBC Sports. He had a strong postseason presence, starting 18 games for the Yankees from 2009 to 2019, achieving an 8-4 record with a 3.42 ERA. Despite his experience, even Sabathia was impressed by the Yankees’ recent pitching performance against the Red Sox.
The Yankees managed to throw 26 scoreless innings against Boston, a remarkable achievement in postseason history. This streak ended during the Yankees’ 9-2 victory over the Red Sox, but it was too late for Boston to recover.
Yankees’ Pitching Strategy for ALDS
Cam Schlittler and Max Fried contributed to the Yankees’ success by allowing only one run in 12.1 innings over the two wild-card games. Both pitchers will be available for Game 3 in the upcoming series if manager Aaron Boone decides to use them.
Anticipation surrounds Gerrit Cole, an accomplished right-hander, who finished the regular season with a 10-9 record and a 3.61 ERA over 22 starts after recovering from Tommy John surgery. In 2024, he made a significant impact by leading the Yankees to the World Series with a 2.17 ERA in five postseason starts.
As the Yankees prepare for their clash with the Rays, the expectation is high for Cole to start Game 1, marking his first postseason appearance since the 2024 World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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