The Yankees' 6-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays left much more than a positive result at Yankee Stadium. In a new edition of the Yankees, Edwin Morel and Daniel Cuevas analyzed a comeback that changed completely in the last innings and that put George Lombard Jr. back in the center of the conversation for the playoffs.
The show reviewed the moments that allowed New York to recover after being down for four races, but the conversation went beyond the score. With the postseason getting closer, Edwin and Daniel discussed the growth of Lombard Jr., the historic closure of Cam Schlittler, and the decisions that Aaron Boone will have to make when it's time to build his lineup for October.
The question left on the table was direct: if Lombard Jr. continues to produce this way, can the Yankees afford to leave it out of the starting lineup?
George Lombard Jr. changed the game and opened the debate in the Yankists
The main name of the program was George Lombard Jr. The young shortstop finished 4-2, produced three races, scored twice and had direct participation in several of the moments that transformed the match.
The Yankees reached the sixth inning losing 4-0, but began to discount a home run from Austin Wells. The offensive attacked again in the seventh, when Lombard hit a double producer who brought New York closer and then starred in a spectacular play, running the bases to score from third with a runaway shot.
One entry later came the most important hit of the night. With the match tied 4-4 and Amed Rosario in circulation, Lombard punished Steven Matz with a two-run home run towards left field that put the Yankees up definitively.
For Edwin Morel and Daniel Cuevas, that performance opened a discussion that will be difficult to ignore over the next few days. Lombard is not only providing energy and defense; It has also started producing in important situations just before the postseason.
Should Lombard Jr. start when the playoffs start?
That was one of the main debates of the Yankees. The problem for Aaron Boone is not simply deciding if Lombard deserves to play. The real question is how to accommodate it within a lineup that already has several pieces set.
His recent performance strengthens his candidacy. Lombard has found greater consistency in September and his important hits against Tampa Bay came at a time when each player is also competing to define their role in October.
Edwin and Daniel analyzed that these types of decisions should not be made just by name or experience. In a short series, the moment that each player goes through can be decisive, especially when a hot bat can change a match with a single connection.
Lombard's presence then forces a second question: if the young shortstop enters the starting lineup, who loses his position? That will be one of the most interesting decisions Boone will have to solve before the first game of the Wild Card series.
Cam Schlittler closed a historic regular season
Another important theme of the show was Cam Schlittler, who made his last regular season opening in the same match against Tampa Bay.
The Yankees limited their cargo thinking directly in October. Schlittler pitched three innings, allowed three hits and two runs, only one of them clean, and finished with five strikeouts before leaving the game after 70 pitches.
Beyond that short outing, his full season was extraordinary. The right-hander finished with an ERA of 1.95 and 239 strikeouts, placing among some of the best pitching campaigns in the history of the Yankees.
In the Yankists, Edwin Morel and Daniel Cuevas analyzed what it means to reach October with a starter of this level and how their presence completely modifies the construction of a short series.
Game 1 or Game 2: Another important decision for Aaron Boone
Schlittler's performance also opens another question. Over the last few weeks it seemed logical to think that he would be the starter of the first game of the Wild Card, but the Yankees still evaluate how to order their rotation.
Max Fried is also being considered to start the series, which would allow Schlittler to use in the second match. The organization will have to think not only about the first game, but also about how to distribute to its best arms throughout a series to the best of three.
That was precisely one of the points discussed in the program: in October it is not always about placing the best name on the first day, but about building a strategy that allows you to have the best options available throughout the series.
Schlittler has shown that he can launch on any stage. The question now is when the Yankees will decide to give him the ball.
The comeback also left positive signals from other players
Although Lombard took a good part of the attention, the victory also needed important contributions from other members of the lineup.
Austin Wells started the reaction with his 14th home run of the season, while Paul Goldschmidt hit the single that took the tie race to the plate in the seventh inning.
The ability to receive production from different players is especially valuable before a postseason in which the stars will not always be the ones who decide each match.
Edwin and Daniel highlighted precisely that point during the Yankees: New York needs to reach October as a team capable of finding different ways to win, even when the match starts completely against it.
The Yankees arrive in October with difficult decisions
The victory over Tampa Bay allowed the Yankees to keep three of the four games in the series, but the show's real focus was on what's next.
Aaron Boone will have to define his lineup, determine how much weight Lombard Jr.'s offensive moment will have and organize a rotation that has several options capable of opening an important match.
In a series of Wild Card there is not much room to experience. Every turn, every defensive change and every decision from the dugout can end up directly influencing the season.
That is why the performance of Lombard Jr. acquires even greater relevance. The young player not only helped win a match; He also forced the Yankees to seriously think about what role he should have when the playoffs start.
The Yankees open the conversation before the postseason
Edwin Morel and Daniel Cuevas closed the program by placing several questions on the table for October. The main revolves around George Lombard Jr. and whether his recent production is enough to earn a fixed position within the lineup.
The discussion on the rotation also remains open, especially with Schlittler ending a historic season and Max Fried as another alternative to start the Wild Card series.
The Yankees have already secured their place in the postseason. Now another stage begins: Define who will be on the ground when each game can mean moving forward or ending the season.
That will be one of the great themes of the Yankees for the next few days, while Edwin Morel and Daniel Cuevas continue to analyze each movement and decision of the Yankees to October.