The New York Yankees will need these three X-Factors in the playoffs if they want to make a run and win the 2018 World Series.
For every team that makes a World Series run, there are always a few x-factors that help them get there. For the purpose of this article, my x-factors will not be obvious. That means I will not tell you that the Yankees need Aaron Judge and Luis Severino to be back to normal in order to win the World Series. Those are obvious things that need to happen. Mine will be slightly less obvious.
So, without further ado, here are three x-factors to a New York Yankees World Series run.
1. Chad Green must be dominant
We all know the Yankees have a high-powered bullpen. There is no question that the Yankees will need their bullpen to come up big in the Playoffs. One guy I look at specifically is Chad Green. With starters getting pulled early in the playoffs, teams need a lot of innings from their bullpen. For my money, Chad Green is the best option for multiple innings. If he can eat innings, and dominate, that will set up the late game, one inning scenarios for the big guns in the pen.
2. CC Sabathia needs to make one last push
Let’s assume Luis Severino and Masahiro Tanaka are themselves in the playoffs. Who knows if that will happen, but I’m trying to speak it into existence. So, if that’s the case the Yankees will need two more starters. Those two should be Sabathia and J.A. Happ. To me, Happ is what he is. He’ll give you your innings and keep you in the game. Sabathia is the x-factor. He has playoff experience and we know he can show up in those games. If he pitches well, that would take pressure off other pitchers and adds another dominant starter to the pack.
Disclaimer: I also really like playoff C.C. yelling obscenities at other players cause he’s just too hyped.
3. Home Runs
Yes, I know, this is super obvious. Yet, I still feel like it needs to be written because the I think the Yankees power could carry them a long way. All year fans have complained about “too many” home runs. “Play some damn small ball” says the grumpy old baseball fan. In the playoffs, home runs are huge. They can be spark plugs and with such great pitching, that one long ball can change a game. Just watch last years’ World Series. Teams with big power and a big bullpen are built for the playoffs. That’s why the Yankees next level power could be an x-factor in the playoffs.
Much more will have to happen for the Yankees to win the World Series. There are even more x-factors. These are just the three, that seems to be of great importance. Now, let’s take a collective breath, and hope the Yankees put these into action and win a World Series.