Fresh off a 5-2 win in Game 1, the Yankees have a chance to gain control of the ALCS against the Guardians before heading to Cleveland. The Guardians will need to change their approach after Game 1 played into the Yankees’ strengths, with New York’s batters drawing seven walks compared to Cleveland’s one. Gerrit Cole, the Game 2 starter for the Yankees, acknowledges that the Guardians’ lineup should not be underestimated due to their ability to put balls in play and avoid strikeouts.
To even up the series and bring it back to Progressive Field tied at 1-1, the Guardians will need to rely on their strengths. In Game 1 against Carlos Rodón, they struggled to generate momentum. Manager Stephen Vogt emphasizes that they are a team that puts pressure on opponents through running, bunting, and putting balls in play.
This postseason matchup between these two teams is significant as it marks their first meeting since 2017. The Yankees are aiming for their first trip to the World Series since 2009 while the Guardians hope for their first since 2016.
Game 2 of the ALCS will take place at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday at 7:38 p.m. ET and can be watched on TBS, truTV, and Max. MLB.TV provides coverage of all games in the U.S., with authentication from a participating Pay TV provider required.
The starting pitchers for this game are Tanner Bibee for the Guardians and Gerrit Cole for the Yankees. Bibee aims to improve upon his previous postseason starts while Cole has been impressive in his postseason outings as a Yankee.
Both teams’ lineups are expected to remain similar from Game 1 with slight adjustments based on pitcher matchups.
In terms of bullpens after starters exit, expect key relievers from both teams such as Cade Smith and Tim Herrin for Cleveland and Clay Holmes and Luke Weaver for New York.
Injury-wise, Alex Cobb is dealing with soreness in his left hip while Tyler Freeman strained his oblique during workouts leading up to this series. For New York, Nestor Cortes could potentially return later this week while DJ LeMahieu has shown improvement in mobility recently despite right hip impingement.
Notable performances include Rocchio’s hit streak spanning six playoff games for Cleveland and Stanton’s strong hitting performance with two home runs this postseason.