New York Yankees potential pitching plans shuffled because of rainout

When inclement weather washed away Thursday’s Game 2 ALDS matchup between the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians, it also did away with one of manager Aaron Boone’s pitching possibilities if the best-of-five series goes the distance.

Rain changes plans for New York Yankees pitching against Cleveland Guardians

Despite the postponement, New York Yankees southpaw Nestor Cortes will still take the mound in Game 2, which was pushed from Thursday to Friday at 1:07 p.m. (Eastern). New York holds a 1-0 series lead after taking a 4-1 win at home on Tuesday night. However, with no off days now scheduled between the second game on Friday and the potential fifth game scheduled if necessary for Monday night back in the Bronx, Boone said that he would “probably not” use Cortes as a traditional starter on short rest should the Guardians force a fifth game.

With that scenario in mind, the Yankees could reportedly use Jameson Taillon or Domingo Germán as the Game 5 starter, or Boone could employ a bullpen game strategy. Taillon faced Cleveland once this season, scattering seven hits over five innings while allowing one run. Germán did not see action against Cleveland in 2022.

Thursday’s postponement does not impact Boone’s plans for Games 3 or 4, with Luis Severino getting the Game 3 call in Cleveland and Gerrit Cole, who earned the Game 1 win by allowing four hits and one run in 6.1 innings, returning to the mound for Game 4 (if necessary).

Cortes posted a 2.44 ERA/3.13 FIP/0.922 WHIP this season in 28 starts, including two against Cleveland. In that pair of starts, Cortes scattered four hits and three runs across 12.1 innings of work. He did, however, allow a pair of home runs in those starts, with Josh Naylor connecting on a home run in New York on April 23 and Amed Rosario smacking one on July 2 in Cleveland.