Yankees Adjust Lineup Against Guardians for ALCS Game 3

CLEVELAND — The New York Yankees are set to face the Cleveland Guardians with a modified lineup for Game 3 of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) on Thursday. As the team adapts to different pitching matchups, manager Aaron Boone announced changes that include Jose Trevino and Jon Berti entering the lineup, with Austin Wells and Anthony Rizzo stepping aside. This adjustment comes as the Yankees face their first left-handed pitcher of the series, Matthew Boyd from the Guardians.

Giancarlo Stanton will move up to the cleanup position, bolstering the lineup against the left-handed Boyd. “Stanton hit cleanup against lefties for most of the regular season and will do so again Thursday,” Boone stated, emphasizing Stanton’s role in providing protection after Aaron Judge.

Austin Wells, a left-handed hitter, has struggled recently, batting just 2-for-24 with 10 strikeouts in the postseason. Despite this, his presence in the lineup was seen as a measure to balance left and right hitters. However, with Stanton’s consistent performance against left-handed pitching during the regular season, Boone opted to revise the lineup.

Anthony Rizzo, despite his return from an injury resulting in two fractured fingers, was not included in Thursday’s lineup to prevent a less favorable left-on-left matchup rather than due to any physical issues. In his first two games back, he performed well offensively. Meanwhile, Jon Berti, who demonstrated strong play at first base during the ALDS, will fill in for Rizzo.

Jose Trevino returns to the field after losing his starting catcher position to Austin Wells following an injury. Although he has not played since the Yankees’ last regular-season game, Boone continues to express confidence in Trevino’s ability to impact the game.

“I think he’s locked in and has obviously struggled a little, but I really don’t think he’s feeling that,” Boone commented on Wells’s current slump but reassured his belief in Wells’s overall performance while acknowledging his confidence in the lineup adjustments.