<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1o8yM1_0wH1JMXT00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1o8yM1_0wH1JMXT00" width="1210" height="806" ></figure>After 15 long, sometimes thrilling, occasionally infuriating, and ultimately disappointing years, the Yankees are back in the World Series. We still have a couple days before the Fall Classic gets underway at Chavez Ravine, so now is the perfect time to try our hand at projecting the 26 men the Yankees will take to battle against the Dodgers.<h2>Lineup</h2>C: Austin Wells1B: Anthony Rizzo2B: Gleyber TorresSS: Anthony Volpe3B: Jazz Chisholm Jr.LF: Alex VerdugoCF: Aaron JudgeRF: Juan SotoDH: Giancarlo StantonThe lineup is pretty much set in stone, the Yankees sending out the same starting nine in four out of the five ALCS contests. Gleyber Torres and Juan Soto have led by example atop the batting order, Gleyber batting .364 from the leadoff spot and Soto .368 with a 1.373 OPS, three home runs, and six RBI including the three-run moonshot in the tenth inning of Game 5 to punch the Bombers’ ticket to the World Series. <div style="position:relative;width:100%; height:0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T8WzijiUSMI?rel=0" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" style="width:100%; height:100%;top:0; left:0; position:absolute"></iframe></div>Of course, this postseason has belonged to Giancarlo Stanton, his four home runs in five games earning the ALCS MVP and closing the gap to Babe Ruth for the all time record for at-bats per home run in the postseason. He batted .333 and OPS’d 1.222 with the four bombs and seven RBI to add to the already impressive legend of Playoff G. The scary part is that the man between Soto and Stanton still hasn’t fully gotten into gear these playoffs, and if and when Aaron Judge really gets rolling, it’s hard to see how the Dodgers’ pitchers will navigate the top four of the Yankees lineup. That being said, Judge looked far better in the ALCS than in the ALDS, launching a pair of home runs and driving in six.<div style="position:relative;width:100%; height:0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fiiJZYOLxXc?rel=0" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" style="width:100%; height:100%;top:0; left:0; position:absolute"></iframe></div>The two biggest disappointments in the Yankees lineup have to be Austin Wells and Jazz Chisholm Jr., the pair of lefties combining to go 4-for-36 in the ALCS. However, the Yankees have mitigated the absence of their bats in the middle of the lineup with clutch contributions from the bottom. Anthony Volpe took heat for his bat during the regular season but has responded with an impressively mature approach in the postseason that allowed him to bat .353 with a team-high four walks during the ALCS. Anthony Rizzo collected six hits in 14 at-bats playing with multiple broken fingers, though a handful of uncharacteristic defensive blunders is something to keep an eye on going forward. Even Alex Verdugo came through with some timely hits and walks and has made all the plays expected of him in left after there were questions of whether the Yankees would select the certainty of his glove over the upside of Jasson Domínguez’s bat.<h2>Bench</h2>C: Jose TrevinoINF: Jon BertiINF: Oswaldo CabreraOF: Trent GrishamOF: Jasson DomínguezWe don’t envision the Yankees making any changes to their offensive reserves, though there is a question as to whether they will stick with a five-man bench or reduce it to four. Jose Trevino is a lock as the backup catcher and even acquitted himself with an RBI single in Game 3. Jon Berti and Oswaldo Cabrera were used as substitutions for Rizzo at first, the former also carrying a pinch-run threat while the latter can field six positions. Domínguez also pinch-ran and provides a left-handed pinch-hit bat while Trent Grisham can cover all three outfield positions. Grisham would likely be the odd man out if the Yankees go with a four-man bench, but he hasn’t gotten into a single game this postseason and the Bombers still seemed content to carry him through the ALCS, so we don’t see them changing course.<h2>Rotation</h2>SP1: Gerrit ColeSP2: Carlos RodónSP3: Clarke SchmidtSP4: Luis GilThe Yankees went with a four-man rotation in the ALCS and given just the lone off-day through the first five games, it’s likely they’ll do the same in the World Series. The Yankees ending the ALCS in five games means they can hand the ball to Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón for Games 1 and 2 on plenty of rest. Cole had a bend-but-don’t-break start in Game 2 and will be looking for something closer to his ALDS-clinching gem while Rodón dominated in Game 1 before following it up with his own bend-but-don’t-break outing in Game 5. Regardless, the Yankees have to feel confident lining it up to be able to hand both their horses a pair of starts if need be.Both Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil did enough in their ALCS starts to give the offense a shot at winning the game. Each allowed two runs, Schmidt going 4.2 innings in Game 3 and Gil four innings in Game 4. I would expect both to have similarly short leashes should they run into trouble.<h2>Not Starting but Rostered </h2>SP5: Nestor CortesSP6: Marcus StromanThe surprise inclusion here is Nestor Cortes, who the Yankees feel confident will be healthy enough to make the roster.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center">"There's a good chance of it." - Aaron Boone on Nestor Cortes making the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Yankees?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Yankees</a>' <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldSeries?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldSeries</a> roster. Cortes has another live tomorrow.— Gary Phillips (@GaryHPhillips) <a href="https://twitter.com/GaryHPhillips/status/1848404844362477775?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote>There was doubt whether he would recover from his elbow flexor strain in time to play a part in the postseason. He likely hasn’t logged enough reps for the Yankees to consider penciling him back into the rotation, but he can still play a vital role as the first man out of the bullpen to give the Yankees length should any of their starters fail to do so. Marcus Stroman has been on the fringes of the roster all postseason. However, like Grisham he has yet to play any part in the playoffs and yet the Yankees were happy to carry him through the ALCS, so he too makes the roster in our estimation.<h2>Bullpen</h2>Luke WeaverTommy KahnleClay HolmesJake CousinsMark Leiter Jr.Tim HillThat leaves a bullpen with six spots, and all six are virtual locks following the combined performance in the ALCS. Luke Weaver and Clay Holmes have been brilliant for most of the postseason before running into some fatigue and exposure related issues in the final games of the ALCS, which is another reason why winning the ALCS in five was so important. The pair have combined to hold opponents to six runs in 18 innings (3.00 ERA) while striking out 18, Weaver locking down four saves in five opportunities. Given the slight stumbles of the previous two pitchers, you’d have to say that Tommy Kahnle has been the Yankees’ best reliever this postseason. He has yet to give up a run in seven innings and has six strikeouts despite throwing what’s now 48 changeups in a row. That’s not to write off the invaluable contributions of the less heralded arms in the bullpen. Tim Hill converted some huge outs in the ALCS and allowed just one run in 4.2 innings. Jake Cousins might have the best strikeout stuff of any reliever in the group. Mark Leiter Jr. had a nightmare after joining the Yankees from the Cubs at the deadline and was left off the ALDS roster. However, an injury to Ian Hamilton gave Leiter his shot in the ALCS, and the Yankees might not be where they are if not for the gutsy seven outs he converted between Games 4 and 5. The way we see it, there is maybe one spot up for grabs on the entire roster. Grisham and Stroman are probably the two players on the bubble should the Yankees elect to carry another reliever. The first name up is likely lefty Tim Mayza, who could get his shot if they eliminate Grisham for a four-man bench or use Cortes as the exclusive long man over Stroman. </div></body>

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Yankees Mock World Series Roster

After 15 long, sometimes thrilling, occasionally infuriating, and ultimately disappointing years, the Yankees are back in the World Series. We still have a couple days before the Fall Classic gets underway at Chavez Ravine, so now is the perfect time to try our hand at projecting the 26 men the Yankees will take to battle against the Dodgers.