The New York Yankees were able to pop champagne on Tuesday night after locking down another playoff berth. In reality, that's only the start of what manager Aaron Boone hopes will be a long postseason run for the AL East club.
The organization will be faced with a number of tough decisions on how they'll want to deploy their roster in the comin weeks. The long-ranging debate of who should play shortstop may dominate headlines in the Bronx. The more important question facing Boone and the team's decision-makers may be over the identity of the team's third starting pitcher.
Max Fried and Carlos Rodon will undoubtedly be the team's Game 1 and Game 2 starters as long as they stay healthy. That leaves Luis Gil and Cam Schlittler to battle over who will get the ball in a potential Game 3. In a perfect world, the Yankees would have Gerrit Cole to anchor their playoff rotation but his injury removes him from the team's postseason equation.
Both Gil and Schlittler have done enough to merit serious consideration for the coveted spot. Read on to discover the case for both young hurlers.
The case for the Yankees going with Luis Gil
Last year's Rookie of the Year missed a big chunk of the season with injury issues of his own, but he's been a solidly above-average starter since his return to the mound. Going 4-1 with an ERA of 3.29 in 10 starts down the stretch speaks well for his ability to make an impact in the postseason.
At his best, the 27-year-old right hander is virtually unhittable when he's at his best. That kind of swing-and-miss stuff will appeal strongly to Boone when it comes to facing power-hitting lineups in the playoffs. He doesn't have the stamina to go too far into high-leverage games but the Yankees would be more than happy to see him get into the sixth inning without giving up more than a run or two.
Gil also has two playoff starts under his belt which lessens the possibility of him being overwhelmed by the moment. He didn't pitch all that well in those outings, but he has more experience than Schlittler in that regard.
The argument for Gil hinges on his high-end stuff. No member of the Yankees' staff looks more dominant when he has it all working. Those high points of performance will give Boone a lot to think about before making his big decision.
The case for the Yankees going with Cam Schlittler
Cam Schlittler has come out of nowhere to be an important member of the Yankees' rotation this season. He didn't begin his campaign in the Bronx but he still found a way to make 13 starts with a quality ERA of just 3.27.
Importantly, Schlittler puts less traffic on the base paths than Gil. His WHIP is a full 0.1 below that of his teammate. Not issuing free passes in the playoffs will be a priority for the Yankees' pitching staff.
That's not say that Schlittler lacks elite stuff. He has an electric fastball that regularly flirts with 100 mph. That kind of power stuff tends to play up in the postseason. Boone will be salivating at the idea of Schlittler blowing opponents with high heat in tough situations.
So which Yankee will Aaron Boone choose?
Expect the manager to give Gil the ball when Game 3 of the team's first playoff series arrives. He has a stronger track record of success than Schlittler and also possesses a slightly higher ceiling as a starter.
The other factor here is that Schlittler seems like an easier pitcher to deploy out of the bullpen. It's possible his fast ball might play up a tick or two in short outings. He's also less likely to come into the game and put runners on base due to poor command.
Gil should be the team's No. 3 starter but Schlittler will have a large role to play in the Yankees postseason as well. Both are important arms for the team's short-term and long-term futures.