Yankees vs Red Sox 2021 AL Wild Card Game Preview
Well, after all the ups and downs, the highs and the lows, and the mixed emotions of the 2021 Yankees season, somehow we are here. The New York Yankees are still standing. The 162 game season has officially concluded, and the New York Yankees are headed to the playoffs. After all the craziness of the regular season, the Yankees finished 92-70. While headed into this season we had much higher hopes than placing third in the division and being forced to play a wild card game, nevertheless we are in the dance. And every baseball fan knows once your in, anything can happen. The Yanks are taking on their rival, the Boston Red Sox in the A.L Wild Card Game. Gerrit Cole and Nathan Eovaldi will face off at Fenway Park in the one game playoff.
The Yankees know the drill, they’re used to playing in the wild card game, and they have experience in winner take all environments. This is completely different because this game is not in the Bronx. The Yankees will play a Wild Card Game at the away ballpark for the first time in franchise history. Although the Yankees recently came into Fenway and lit up Eovaldi and came away with the sweep. That all goes out the window. Gerrit Cole and the New York Yankees need to do whatever the can to pull of a win in Boston. Coke has been struggling of late. He is coming off of multiple rough starts in a row. Despite his struggles of late, there is nobody else the Yankees want out their on the mound. I have the utmost confidence in Gerrit Cole to take the mound in the biggest game of his Yankee Career and absolutely shove. The Yankees have a weapon that the Red Sox don’t, the bullpen. Pitchers like Aroldis Chapman, Clay Holmes, Jonathan Loaisiga, Chad Green, Luis Severino, Mike King, and Wandy Peralta are all elite bullpen arms that are in play to toe the slab on Tuesday night. The Yankees bullpen will be of great use to the Yankees in the game. The Yankee bats have got to come alive. They have struggled all season long, but that does not matter. They must step up on Tuesday.
Judge and Stanton have carried the offense all year, and the Yanks need them to produce runs in this game. Gleyber Torres needs to be productive in the lead off spot. Joey Gallo needs to get on base. Brett Gardner needs to do what he does best by seeing a ton of pitches. Anthony Rizzo and Gio Urshela have to put together good at bats. I don’t think anybody expected Rougned Odor to be the Yankees third baseman in the AL Wild Card game, but here we are. An injury to DJ Lemahieu has put us in this position. Odor needs to play solid defense over there at third. Cole’s personal catcher, Kyle Higashioka, needs to play great defense behind the dish. Gary Sanchez needs to be ready to come in and hit off the bench. Tyler Wade needs to be ready to come in and run or play defense, along with Andrew Velasquez. Every Yankee needs to do what they do best, and do it well. What more could we have asked for? Gerrit Cole on the mound against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park with the highest stakes imaginable. This is what Gerrit Cole wanted he infamously spoke on how he loved to pitch when the stakes are high, it does not get any higher than this. Let’s hope Gerrit Cole pitches like Gerrit Cole can, let’s hope the Yankees bullpen is nails, let’s hope the offense can produce runs, and let’s hope the defense is solid. The New York Yankees need to do whatever they have to do to win this game! Let’s go Yankees
By : Riley Briggs