DETROIT — After Ivan Nova’s brilliant performance in Game 1, the Yankees are confident the rookie right-hander will be up to the challenge of pitching tomorrow night’s ALDS Game 5 against the Tigers at Yankee Stadium. Nevertheless, they have a very big weapon waiting in the bullpen if needed.
“It’s my bullpen day, so I will be ready to go,” CC Sabathia said after the Yankees’ 10-1 win in Game 4 at Comerica Park turned the ALDS into a best-of-one.
Sabathia threw 106 pitches Monday night in Game 3. Normally during a bullpen session he said he throws 30 pitches. That could translate into as much as two innings of game work tomorrow evening.
If Sabathia is not needed, he would be in line to start Game 1 of the ALCS against the Rangers on Saturday.
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With his club’s season nine innings away from extinction, manager Joe Girardi did not make a single adjustment to his lineup last night. Girardi watched Robinson Cano, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and Nick Swisher go a combined 0-for-14 in a 5-4 Game 3 loss Monday night. The manager also was aware that Rodriguez was 0-for-10, Teixeira was 1-for-11 and Swisher was 2-for-11.
Girardi said he did not believe it was time to shuffle the cards, and his faith was rewarded as the offense busted out with 10 runs. Rodriguez had two hits and a sacrifice fly, and Teixeira and Swisher had a hit apiece. Don’t expect any changes for tomorrow night’s Game 5.
“Everyone wants to throw stuff out. I don’t think you can make too much of two games,” Girardi said. “These guys have done it all year long and you expect them to do it.”
Girardi, who never succumbed to calls to drop Teixeira from the third spot two years ago and Derek Jeter from the leadoff spot earlier this season, is the master of the steady hand.
“They know I do things for a reason,” said Girardi, who would never dump Rodriguez to eighth like Joe Torre did five years go in Game 4 when the Yankees were eliminated by the Tigers in the ALDS at Comerica Park.
“Guys who have a history of performing, they usually perform. Every time a guy went 0-for-4, you can’t change. These guys are All-Stars and superstars. It’s not like they are platoon players. I think they have to be patient. Two games don’t mean anything. I think the focus needs to be on the field.”
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Swisher went 1-for-4 and is 3-for-15 (.200) through four games, a disappointing start to October for the third straight season for the switch-hitting outfielder.
It follows Swisher’s third straight productive regular season. It will be those three solid regular seasons that likely will have the Yankees picking up the $10.25 million option ($1 million buyout) on Swisher, who hit .260 with 23 homers and 85 RBIs after a brutal first two months.
Swisher admitted before the ALDS started that he needed to relax at the plate. He is 15-for-96 (.156) in postseason games as a Yankee.
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Because Cardinals manager Tony La Russa was fined a reported $25,000 for questioning the strike zone in Sunday’s Game 2 of the NLDS against the Phillies, Girardi was asked if he heard from MLB for calling umpire Gerry Davis‘ strike zone “small” when Sabathia was on the mound Monday night.
Girardi said he hadn’t, and a MLB source hinted Girardi’s words didn’t warrant a fine.
Girardi only called the zone small for his pitcher. La Russa said it felt like the game had two different zones.
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Jesus Montero made his first post-season appearance and went 2-for-2. Montero, 21, is the youngest Yankee to appear in the playoffs since 19-year-old Tommy Carroll in the 1955 World Series loss to the Dodgers.