For the first time since Game 1 of the AL wild-card series, Paul Goldschmidt was back in the Yankees’ lineup on Wednesday.
Facing elimination for a second straight night in Game 4 of the ALDS, Aaron Boone started Goldschmidt over Ben Rice at first base, aimed at having better left-right balance with the Blue Jays throwing a bullpen game.
Boone did not want to give Blue Jays manager John Schneider any clear lanes to use a lefty or righty reliever, which could have been the case if he had started six left-handed bats, including Rice.
Instead, he went with five lefty bats to alternate left-right throughout the order, with Goldschmidt slotting in sixth behind Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Rice could certainly factor in as a pinch-hitter against a righty reliever in a key spot.
Boone had considered starting Goldschmidt in Games 2 and 3 — the former against righty Trey Yesavage, whose splitter is especially tough on lefties, and the latter against righty Shane Bieber, who had reverse splits in a small sample size this season — but stuck with Rice.
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