The Yankees are moving on to the ALCS, having dispatched the Royals in four games to reach the LCS for the fourth time in eight years.
Three of those berths came with Aaron Boone at the helm, and Keith McPherson says the often-criticized manager deserves his props for seeming to push the right buttons all series.
“Aaron Boone is our manager,” Keith said. “Aaron Boone is doing what he’s supposed to do.”
One of those buttons was to leave Giancarlo Stanton in the lineup, even after his baserunning became a major concern in game one. Many fans clamored for Stanton to be replaced, worried his lack of speed would continue to cost the team valuable runs, but Stanton reminded everyone why he is so critical in the middle of the order, as he drove in a run in game two, hit the game-winning home run in game three, and drove in a valuable insurance run in the clinching game four.
“As much as you guys have called about Giancarlo Stanton and his body and his contract, even in the last couple of days, it’s crazy to me how many people are talking about moving Stanton to fourth in the lineup,” Keith said. “But like four days ago, you wanted Jasson Dominguez to DH and sit him on the bench.
“Giancarlo Stanton is a Yankee in year seven. That’s our guy.”
Keith himself used the clinching game four as an opportunity to admit being wrong about two of his biggest playoff concerns in Clay Holmes and Gleyber Torres. Holmes didn’t allow a run the entire series, and helped lock down the game four win, while Torres started the game with a double to help get the scoring started, then drove in the second run of the game with an RBI single.
“Like Stanton, Clay Holmes has a slow heartbeat,” Keith said. “He is postseason ready. Clay is getting the job done.
“I will eat my words on Gleyber Torres and Clay Holmes…I didn’t want him on there, and he’s been great this first series. The whole bullpen has been great. I know I said we can’t have [Torres] on the team in October…but he is needed, man. He is needed at the top of that lineup. He’s a part of this team.”