ANDhe chaotic scenario of a quadruple tie for the American League wild cards did not occur and will be the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox the teams that risk their lives in the wild card game to seek access to the divisional round.
It will be a new postseason edition of the sport’s ultimate rivalry, which has in its history the names of Bucky Dent, Aaron Boone, Dave Roberts, David Ortiz and Johnny Damon in history.
In this 9-inning (or maybe more) life or death game, both teams adjusted their rotations to keep their aces on the mound.
For the Yankees, the ‘greatest weapon of the empire’, Gerrit cole, will be the opener. The highest-paid pitcher in history was 16-8 in 30 games in 2021 with a 3.23 ERA, the best of the Manhattan Mules. In his career he is 5-3 in 10 games against Boston, including 2-2 in 2021, winning his last outing at Fenway, on Sept. 24, in the Yankees sweep in Boston.
Alex Cora will give the responsibility to a former Yankee, Nathan Eovaldi. The right-hander was 11-9 in 32 starts with a 3.75 ERA. In 15 career games against the Yankees, he is 3-4 with a 3.64 ERA.. This season he also went 2-2 against New York. and he started that game that Cole won on Sept. 24, but couldn’t get out of the third inning.
The winner of this game at Fenway will be the one who has to face the best team in the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays, in the divisional round, best of five games.