Yankees manager Aaron Boone wouldn’t commit to a closer after a win over the Red Sox at Fenway Park gave them home-field advantage for the American League Wild Card Game.
BOSTON — It wasn’t supposed to be a question.
Yet it most certainly is.
The Yankees haven’t decided who will be their closer for the American League Wild Card Game, of which they earned hosting duties with an 11-6 win over the Red Sox at Fenway Park on Friday night.
So, manager Aaron Boone said, the team will likely use at least some information gleaned from the team’s two meaningless, final games of the year against Boston to make its decision.
“We’ll continue to work through that,” Boone told reporters. “We’ll see how the next two days play out in making sure guys get work and we’ll see.”
Will Yankees just pay Sabathia $500K?
Does Aroldis Chapman, their $86-million fireballer, need more ninth inning work before the Yankees just give him his job back?
“I’d like him to but I also feel like his last couple outings were in big spots for us,” Boone said. “He’s come in and pitched well. I just want him to continue to get at least another time out there. Have the ability to bounce back. Have his command lined up and then we’ll make decisions accordingly.”
Lately, left-hander Zach Britton, the longtime Orioles closer, has handled the ninth inning. He’d pitched well of late, but on Friday he had lots of trouble with the strike zone, loading the bases and walking in a run.
Dellin Betances could also be another option, but Boone used him before Britton on Friday, and he seems more likely to grab eighth-inning at-bats — the way he has most of the year.
Meanwhile, Chapman is still rebounding from a lengthy disabled list stint during which he recovered from left knee tendinitis. Chapman says the knee is in good shape but his velocity hasn’t been as high as the Yankees would probably like it, and his command hasn’t been as crisp, though it’s been better lately.
The Yankees have used Chapman in the seventh inning in his last three outings — all scoreless.
Boone said the Yankees will use the final two games as tuneups for other areas, too.
“That’s where the conversations turn,” Boone said. (Pitching coach) Larry (Rothschild) and I will have conversations about who we want to get work, how much, who we want to rest. And the same thing for position players. Who needs to continue to get regular at-bats? Who do we want to see in certain situations? We’ll do our best to make sure we keep guys sharp but also get certain guys the proper rest.”
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