Yankees sort through final roster decisions as playoff opener vs. Royals nears

NEW YORK – As they conducted another simulated game Thursday afternoon at the Stadium, the Yankees were still sorting through final playoff roster decisions.

According to manager Aaron Boone, it was still undecided whether they’d take 11 or 12 pitchers into the best-of-five AL Division Series against the Kansas City Royals , or which on-the-bubble relievers or reserves would make the cut.

At least, they already knew which team was arriving for Saturday’s Game 1 at Yankee Stadium.

“They earned their right to be here and they’re a dangerous team…we know what they’re capable of,’’ said Yankees GM Brian Cashman.

But as the AL East champs, with home field advantage through the AL playoffs, “I’m certainly proud of where our guys are sitting,’’ said Cashman. “And we’ll need to take advantage of it by playing great baseball so we can move forward.’’

And with the Baltimore Orioles and Houston Astros out of the tournament, the Yankees have taken on an even heavier status as favorites to advance to the World Series.

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“I know that we have the capabilities,’’ Cashman said of the Yanks’ October chances. “At the same time, I would caution that we’ve had the capabilities many times before.

“I think we have the pieces here and the will to make it happen,’’ said Cashman. “Now, we’ve got to go up against an opponent that’s very worthy.’’

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The decision between Clarke Schmidt or Luis Gil as the Game 3 starter at Kansas City could depend on whether one or both is needed in relief during Games 1 and 2 at the Stadium.

Boone was more definitive about Marcus Stroman, saying: “I don’t expect him to be a starter in this series,’’ though “as for what role, we haven’t made that call yet.’’

Yankees decision makers met Wednesday night to initially discuss roster issues, with the final calls expected to be made Friday night.

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Based on scheduled off days after Games 1, 2 and 4, there’s incentive for taking one extra position player instead of 12 pitchers.

But if a rainout or a long game occurs (the automatic runner during extra innings is suspended during postseason), that strategy might backfire.

Meanwhile, right-handed reliever Jake Cousins was due to throw a live session Thursday, the last hurdle in being cleared for an ALDS roster spot following a pectoral strain.

Waiting on Anthony Rizzo's status

Regarding Anthony Rizzo’s status, the Yankees might wait right until the last moment before submitting a playoff roster.

“(We’re) trying to give it the runway it deserves because of the magnitude of the player,’’ Cashman said of Rizzo dealing with two fractured fingers on his right (non-throwing) hand.

Acknowledging it’s “a tight window’’ for Rizzo to heal enough to make the first round, there’s at least “a glimmer’’ of a possibility that the veteran first baseman might make the cut.

Cashman categorized Rizzo’s recovery as “more strength, less pain than you’d expect’’ with this type of injury, though obviously “the timing of that injury was not great.’’

If Rizzo is unavailable, the call is “primarily’’ between lefty-hitting Ben Rice and switch-hitting Oswaldo Peraza, both novice first basemen.

Cashman mentioned that DJ LeMahieu (hip impingement) has a difficult timeframe to be an ALDS choice, but “he’s doing everything he can to check all the rehab boxes,’’ and that he’d probably speed up his baseball activity should he become “a legitimate consideration.’’

No cheers for Houston's departure

For the first time since 2016, the Houston Astros won’t be playing in the AL Championship Series, knocked out by the upstart Detroit Tigers in the wild card round.

Of course, the Astros bested the Yankees three times in the ALCS since 2017, with the controversy over Houston’s electronic sign stealing scandal clouding the results of 2017 and 2019.

To Cashman, that’s all in the past.

“I’ve got great relationship in big positions over there,’’ Cashman said of Astros GM Dana Brown and manager Joe Espada, a former Yankees coach.

“What happened in the past happened under a different regime with different people,’’ Cashman said. “And so you come to learn you don’t have any rooting interest in October either way.’’

Now, it’s the Tigers – managed by A.J. Hinch, Houston’s manager during the sign-stealing period – that takes on the AL Central champion Cleveland Guardians in the other ALDS.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Yankees sort through final roster decisions as playoff opener vs. Royals nears