3 Yankees bold predictions for ALDS vs Royals
The New York Yankees are set to face the Kansas City Royals in the American League Division Series. The Royals swept the Orioles in the Wild Card Series to set up the matchup. After winning the American League East with the AL’s best record, New York has high expectations this October. We’ll make our Yankees ALDS bold predictions before the series begins.
The Yankees have their rotation set up for the beginning of the series. Gerrit Cole will start Game 1 and Carlos Rodón will throw in Game 2 in The Bronx. After solid seasons from both pitchers, they must have great performances in the postseason. The Royals’ offense was not spectacular in their Wild Card Series win, scoring only three runs in two games.
FanGraphs gives the Yankees a 61.4% chance to win this series. With the Astros eliminated, expectations are sky-high for the Bronx Bombers, who have not made the World Series since 2009. Before their big series against the Royals, let’s make those Yankees ALDS bold predictions.
Aaron Judge hits two home runs
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Aaron Judge’s 2024 may be the best season ever by a right-handed hitter. He hit 58 home runs, posted a wRC+ over 200, and had an OPS of 1.159. The Yankees center fielder likely clinched his second AL MVP award and must continue that production in the postseason. Expect him to hit two home runs during this best-of-five series.
Judge has played in the ALDS five times in his career and has two home runs in three of those series. One of those homer-filled sets was in 2022 against the Guardians after his 62-homer campaign. While he only went 4-20 in that five-game set, he showed that he can follow up great regular seasons. The Yankees dealt with the long rest that season as well and won that series.
This season, Judge did not tee off on the Royals. Only one of his 58 bombs came in his six games against Kansas City. That one homer came off Nick Anderson, who was not on the Wild Card roster. The Yankees will not achieve their goals without a homer-filled October from their captain, so that trend must be bucked in this series.
Luke Weaver dominates out of the bullpen
Closer has been one of the most talked about positions on the Yankees this season. Clay Holmes fell one blown save short of tying the single-season record. While Holmes will likely be on the postseason roster, he is no longer the closer. That title belongs to Luke Weaver who has been phenomenal in the role. Expect that to continue in the postseason.
Holmes lost his closer role after giving up a walk-off grand slam to Wyatt Langford of the Texas Rangers on September 3. Since then, Weaver has made eight appearances, throwing 11 innings, allowing four hits and one unearned run. He is four-for-four in save opportunities since the switch.
Technically speaking, Weaver has not been named the closer. Manager Aaron Boone is running a closer-by-committee process with Tommy Kahnle, Jake Cousins, and Tim Hill also pitching in big roles. Weaver has earned the ninth-inning role, however, and should dominate in this series. Expect Dream Weaver to be blasting over the Yankee Stadium speakers this month.
Yankees win in four games
The Yankees will beat the Royals in four games to take the American League Division Series. They won the season series, had the best record in the American League, and have the home-field advantage in this series. With two high-profile free-agency acquisitions starting the first two games, they must get off to a great start.
The Royals will win one game, most likely at home, in this series. Gerrit Cole will come back in Game 4 and clinch the series for the Yankees. If New York does win, it will be their fourth trip to the ALCS in the Judge-era, since 2017. In each of those years, they lost to the Houston Astros. They won’t have to face their nemesis this year, making the path a touch easier.
The American League Division Series between the Yankees and Royals starts on Saturday. Expect Yankee Stadium to be buzzing and Gerrit Cole to shove in that first game.
The post 3 Yankees bold predictions for ALDS vs Royals appeared first on ClutchPoints.
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