Andrew’s One Good and One Bad (Game 2, ALCS)

Andrew’s One Good and One Bad

By Andrew Hefner

October 16, 2024

***

Wow. There is not a better word to describe Game 2 of the ALCS. The Bronx was rocking, as usual, and the bats (at times, at least) were on full display. Gerrit Cole, unfortunately, did not show up as much as in his previous outings, but there was nothing egregiously wrong. The biggest news of the night was, of course, Aaron Judge fully waking up from his slumber and clobbering a ball into the centerfield seats. There is so much to be excited about but let’s take a look at just one good and one bad from Game 2 of the ALCS. 

The Good

After some “interesting” comments from Aaron Boone and Anthony Rizzo last night, some fans were left skeptical of the real nature of Rizzo’s injury and wondering if he was possibly put in jeopardy again by playing in Game 1. After watching Game 2, I don’t think that those fans are having the same thoughts anymore. 

Rizzo previously missed the final few games of the regular season and all of the ALDS with two fractured fingers suffered just days before the season was set to close. Boone would later announce that Rizzo would not be ready for the ALDS, but that the championship series (if made) would be a possibility. Now, that is more than a possibility as last night, after being pulled early from Game 1, Rizzo went 2-4 with a run and a double which led to an error allowing the speedy Anthony Volpe to score. Although these numbers are not “video game numbers” they should provide a good amount of confidence to Boone and fans about where Rizzo is going to fit in this postseason team. I mentioned yesterday that Austin Wells could need a shakeup in the batting order, so with the former cleanup hitter back on the rise, that change could be coming soon.  (Might Rizzo be batting clean-up in Game Three?)

Of course, Torres, Judge, and Volpe also have earned applause after their Game 2 performances, with Judge being responsible for three out of the four RBIs in the game. Now that the lineup seems to be more put together, it should be interesting to see how Boone chooses to organize it in the coming days. 

The Bad

This is going to be a quite redundant section of “the bad” again because still, the Yankees can’t seem to figure out what to do with runners on base. Their approach was all over and to make matters worse, there were also base running errors involved, further complicating the Yanks' ability to score runs. Last night, the Bombers went 2-10 with RISP and stranded 7 on base. Wells in the cleanup spot went 0-2 with RISP and has again cost the Yanks some valuable runs. With an all-important off day/travel day tomorrow, the main focus again needs to be working on their approach at the plate with runners on. Wells’ at bat today was quite as embarrassing and the lack of patience from him and others has certainly not helped their cause. Everything else is starting to click so I’ll say it again, once they figure this out, the sky’s the limit. 

Game 3 in Cleveland is sure to be a great one as back in 2022 they set the record for the loudest cheer in MLB history when playing the Yankees in the ALDS. There is a lot at stake, but with two games back-to-back on the road, there is a real possibility that the Yankees can get it done. As of now, Clarke Schmidt will make his second start of the postseason, and Luis Gil will most likely earn his first in Game 4 on Friday night. Hopefully, the Yanks use the travel day well and when they come back, they will again be stronger than ever.