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Game 5 is a crucial game in the ALCS. If the Yankees want to win it, they need to focus on doing these three things to overcome the Astros.
The New York Yankees are on the brink of elimination after a disappointing 8-3 loss at Yankee Stadium on Thursday night. If they want to extend their series against the Astros, they’ll need to make some quick changes ahead of Friday night’s matchup.
New York isn’t dead, but it’s safe to say they are on life support. The margin for error for the Yankees has completely vanished. If the team is going to extend the series in Game 5, it’ll need to make sure to execute these three things to perfection.
3. Boone must make the right bullpen choices
Bringing Adam Ottavino on in relief during Game 3 was a defensible choice by manager Aaron Boone. The same thing can be said about Chad Green’s insertion into Game 4. With that being said, neither move came remotely close to working out for the Yankees.
It’s vital for Boone to figure out which bullpen buttons he needs to push in Game 5. He doesn’t want to take Paxton out of the game too soon, but it’s a safe bet he’ll need to make multiple pitching changes in the late innings. One wrong call could effectively end the Yankees’ season. Boone needs to show everyone he can read his pitching staff correctly. A little luck would help him as well.
The bottom line is that the Yankees will need their bullpen to be close to perfect in Game 5 if they’re going to turn the series in their favor. That hasn’t happened since Game 1. Boone has to reverse that trend to turn the tide of the ALCS.