BUFFALO, N.Y. � As it looks now, the Yankees will be handing the ball to Masahiro Tanaka in Game 2 of their opening round best-of-three playoff series.
He'd follow Gerrit Cole, starting the playoff opener.
And the veteran Tanaka would either be pitching to clinch the series, or to save the Yankees from swift postseason elimination.
Nothing is official, of course.
But manager Aaron Boone has an appreciation for Tanaka's clutch factor and unflappable nature, putting the right-hander in that category of players who are "not overwhelmed" by any situation.
He also owns a 1.76 ERA in eight postseason starts.
Tanaka's ability to make fast adjustments between starts is another signature trait, something he might have to rely on before next week.
Wednesday at Sahlen Field was Tanaka's final tune-up before postseason, a messy 14-1 loss to the Blue Jays that was not entirely of his doing.
