Guardians announce roster for ALDS against Yankees; Myles Straw returns to New York

The Guardians bullpen has been among baseball's best in 2022, and it put together its best performance of the year in a 15-inning, Game 2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Wild Card Series.

But it will be down one member for the rest of the postseason, which includes the upcoming American League Division Series against the New York Yankees. On Monday, the Guardians announced that reliever Nick Sandlin underwent an MRI and was diagnosed with a strain of the Teres Major muscle in his upper back/shoulder area. He'll be shut down from throwing for 5-to-6 weeks, meaning he'll be unavailable for the remainder of the postseason.

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Sandlin posted a 2.25 ERA with 41 strikeouts in 44 innings during the regular season and has been in the mix for some key appearances.

"[The Yankees have] pretty dangerous right-hand hitters," manager Terry Francona told reporters in New York. "[Sandlin] would be, what we would hope, a huge weapon. Obviously that's not going to happen. I kind of feel more for him. I always feel like we'll figure it out."

Guardians announce 2022 ALDS roster heading into Game 1 against Yankees

With Sandlin sidelined, rookie pitcher Cody Morris has been added to the ALDS roster in his place. Aaron Civale will also be added to the roster in place of the left-hander Kirk McCarty.

The Yankees have a more right-handed-dominant lineup led by Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, which made McCarty the odd man out between him, Morris and Zach Plesac. Civale wasn't needed on the Wild Card Series roster, as the Guardians only needed three starters for the best-of-three series against the Rays. They also needed Civale ready to start Game 1 in the ALDS in case they needed to play all three games against the Rays.

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Instead, after the Guardians swept the Rays 2-0, Cal Quantrill will take the mound in Tuesday's ALDS Game 1 at Yankee Stadium. Civale will likely be needed at some point.

There were no changes on the Guardians playoff roster on the position player side.

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This best-of-five ALDS will also feature an abnormal schedule. In that past, that series has gone 2-2-1, meaning two games at the better seed's park, then an off day, then two games at the lower seed's park, another off day and if necessary, Game 5 back where it started.

This week will be different. There will be an off day after Tuesday's Game 1 and another off day after Thursday's Game 2, and then up to three consecutive games if necessary (Friday-Sunday). It means instead of an off day after Game 4, if the series were to need a Game 5, there is no travel day. Instead, there's an extra off day early in the series following Game 1. It means the Guardians can be even more aggressive with their bullpen behind Quantrill on Tuesday night in New York knowing there's an extra off day looming.

"A little bit," Francona said when asked how strategy might differ. "If you're playing back-to-back, and maybe you're down a run or two, you might be a little hesitant to use the back end of your bullpen, just trying to chase a win. But if you have a day off, you're more apt to maybe use a guy that maybe you wouldn't."

Myles Straw returns to New York after incident with Yankees fans

Tuesday's Game 1 will feature a reunion of sorts between two parties that left on some heated terms: Guardians center fielder Myles Straw and Yankees fans.

Near of the end of the Guardians' game against the Yankees on April 23, Steven Kwan was momentarily down on the field following a play at the wall at Yankee Stadium. Straw took issue with what was being yelled at Kwan while he was down and being looked at by trainers and jumped to the top of the wall to yell back at Yankees fans.

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As the game concluded, Yankees fans threw beer cans and water bottles at right fielder Oscar Mercado, which led to numerous players from both teams running out to right field.

The two clubs played the next day without incident from Yankees fans following the ugly incident the day prior.

"Myles was kind of sticking up for one of his teammates, and I don't think — I'd be very surprised if that has anything to do with this series we're going to play," Francona said.

Guardians Yankees ALDS schedule

Here is the schedule of games:

Game 1: Guardians at Yankees, 7:37 p.m. Tuesday on TBS

Probable Pitchers: Cal Quantrill (15-5, 3.38) vs. Gerrit Cole (13-8 (3.50)

Game 2: Guardians at Yankees, 7:37 p.m. Thursday on TBS

Probable Pitchers: Shane Bieber (13-8, 2.88) vs. Nestor Cortes (12-4, 2.44)

Game 3: Yankees at Guardians, TBD, Saturday on TBS

Probable Pitchers: Luis Severino (7-3, 3.18) vs. Triston McKenzie (11-11, 2.96)

Game 4: Yankees at Guardians, TBD, Sunday on TBS, if necessary

Game 5: Guardians at Yankees, TBD, Monday on TBS, if necessary

Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Guardians at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/cleveland-guardians. Follow him on Twitter at @ByRyanLewis.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: ALDS roster set for Guardians vs. Yankees; Game 1 is Tuesday on TBS