Yankees set for ALDS Game 2: Alex Verdugo gets another start, Oswaldo Cabrera credits Anthony Rizzo

NEW YORK – After his important contribution in Game 1, Alex Verdugo underlined a key October point.

“It’s not going to be our big guys that are always going to come through. It's going to take everybody,’’ Verdugo said after the Yankees’ 6-5, AL Division Series opening win Saturday night.

According to manager Aaron Boone, the lefty-hitting Verdugo will be back in the lineup at Yankee Stadium, playing left field in Monday’s Game 2 against Kansas City Royals’ lefty starter Cole Ragans.

Despite a dry offensive stretch since mid-June, Boone chose Verdugo over rookie switch-hitter Jasson Dominguez, feeling Verdugo’s superior defense and experience could pay dividends.

Plus, Verdugo’s late September at-bats had shown more quality, and he responded with a walk and two hits – including the go-ahead RBI single in the seventh – and a run-saving, juggling catch in left.

“I think he's been champing at the bit for postseason baseball,’’ Boone said of Verdugo, and Saturday’s performance “is one of those things that hopefully gives him a lot of confidence moving forward.’’

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Verdugo said he was starting to find his swing when Dominguez was called up, admitting he was “a little bit upset’’ about losing playing time, “but I understood what went into it.’’

By that point, Verdugo had made some personal changes.

“I just started eating better, started (addressing) certain things that were bothering me throughout the year, while I was having some more days off than I would have liked.

“And I feel like that's really benefitted me now, feeling fresh and ready to go and ready to run through a wall now.’’

Yankees' lefty Nestor Cortes resumes throwing

At his locker, Nestor Cortes fashioned a homemade chart: ALDS, ALCS, WS with numbers to indicated Game 1, Game 2, etc.

It’ll take 11 postseason wins to claim a World Series, and Cortes had already put a check after “ALDS Gm 1’’ late Saturday night.

Cortes is sitting this series out due to a strained left flexor, but the lefty resumed playing catch on Sunday, his first throwing since the Sept. 25 diagnosis.

It’s unknown if Cortes might become a realistic option to contribute to the Yankees’ staff at some point this postseason, something the lefty was still hopeful of when he was shut down 10 days ago.

Oswaldo Cabrera gives an assist to Anthony Rizzo

Leading into his ALDS Game 1 start at first base, Oswaldo Cabrera had just five starts at the position in his big-league career, with a total of 71.2 defensive innings logged.

But as Boone has said, he likes Cabrera anywhere with a glove, and first base is no exception.

Cabrera has been taking DJ LeMahieu’s first baseman’s mitt and Anthony Rizzo’s wisdom to the field with him.

“We are like the students and he's like our Mr. Miyagi,’’ Cabrera said of Rizzo, also imparting his defensive knowledge to other Yankees first basemen-in-training, including Ben Rice and Jon Berti.

Rizzo’s fractured fourth and fifth fingers (right hand) kept him off the ALDS roster, though he’s hopeful of being ready if the Yanks advance to the AL Championship Series.

But lately, Rizzo has expanded his defensive teaching role, providing advice on positioning and what to look for in certain game situations.

So far, the advice of Rizzo and the hours of extra work with coach Travis Chapman have paid off, with Cabrera making two superb plays to save short-hopped and wide throws in Game 1.

A new and improved Carlos Rodon is on for Game 2

A year ago, Carlos Rodon was coming off a forgettable first season in pinstripes, (3-8, 6.85 ERA, 14 starts), with Yankees Universe wondering about that $162 million free agent investment.

Forearm and back issues contributed to that mess, and Rodon dove into a winter program, making the proper workout and nutrition adjustments.

On Monday, Rodon arrives at his first Yankees postseason start following a healthy regular season (16-9, 3.96 ERA, 32 starts), and a wider arsenal than in 2023.

Adding to his once heavy fastball-slider combo, the lefty mixed in more changeups (12.9 percent), curveballs (8.3) and cutters (3.5), per MLB Statcast’s figures.

And when he hit a rough patch of performances this summer, Rodon achieved a reset by “switching up some usage, being a little more unpredictable’’ with his pitches.

Clay Holmes' take on Luke Weaver

Now in a setup role, Clay Holmes recorded five big outs in Game 1.

Holmes ended the sixth by retiring Bobby Witt Jr. on a groundout, keeping the KC lead at 5-4, and he got the Yankees through the seventh and earned the win.

Afterward, Holmes said his delivery is in a better spot now than a month ago, when he was given a break from the closer's role and never returned, due to Luke Weaver's ascension.

Weaver recorded a four-out save in his first postseason appearance as a closer, and Holmes praised his fellow right-hander.

"It's not easy to get the last three outs,'' Holmes said of ninth inning work, especially in October. What Weaver has been doing "is a huge boost for our team.

"He's been awesome back there.''

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Yankees set for ALDS Game 2: Alex Verdugo gets another start, Oswaldo Cabrera credits Anthony Rizzo