The Yankees still haven’t decided between Masahiro Tanaka, J.A. Happ or Luis Severino, and here’s why.
BOSTON — Yankees manager Aaron Boone, general manager Brian Cashman, the coaching staff and others huddled together at Fenway Park late Saturday night to talk how they’ll attack the biggest game of their season.
No, Boone said, the team still hasn’t decided who will start for them on the mound at the American League Wild Card Game against the A’s on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium.
Boone said he wasn’t even sure if they’ll have an answer Monday.
“I feel like I’m close to a resolution in my mind,” Boone said. “Again, it’s just wanting it to settle in, and just make sure I feel really good about the direction.”
Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka and J.A. Happ figure to be the most likely candidates for Boone, who could also opt to go with a bullpen day. Or Boone could use one of his starting pitchers for, say, 45 pitches, and still potentially have him available for Games 1 or 2 of the AL Division Series in Boston that starts Friday.
Boone said that potentially advancing beyond the Wild Card would play a role in his decision making.
“I would say, sure, that’s absolutely part of the conversation,” Boone said. “That goes into people and who we like matching up and how we envision certain situations playing out with X pitcher on the mound, who would be next, those kinds of things. Yeah, advancing is all part of the decision-making process.”
Boone said that he doesn’t see much competitive advantage in concealing the Yankees’ decision so that the A’s have less time to prepare.
Boone added that he hasn’t had one set option in his mind this whole time.
“It’s been a little back and forth for me,” he said.
Brendan Kuty may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.
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