ALCS Game 5 storylines: Yankees vs. Guardians

The Yankees are one win away from a trip to the World Series, but the Guardians aren’t ready to relinquish the American League pennant just yet.

These clubs have played back-to-back thrillers, but Cleveland fell short in its bid to pull off a second straight stunning comeback in Game 4. That leaves the Guardians on the brink of elimination in the AL Championship Series — and the Yankees on the verge of their first Fall Classic appearance since 2009.

Here are the four biggest storylines heading into Game 5 of the ALCS.

ALCS Game 5: Yankees at Guardians (NYY leads 3-1)
8:08 p.m. ET, TBS
SP: Carlos Rodón (NYY) vs. Tanner Bibee (CLE)

1. Can Rodón repeat his Game 1 performance?

Rodón was dominant in the ALCS opener, striking out nine without a walk over six innings of one-run ball. His lone blemish was serving up a solo home run to Cleveland’s No. 9 hitter Brayan Rocchio. It was a major bounceback outing for Rodón after he gave up four runs off seven hits and lasted only 3 2/3 innings in his ALDS Game 2 start vs. the Royals.

Going back to the start of September, that rocky outing against Kansas City is the only time in seven starts that Rodón allowed more than two earned runs. The silver lining from that ALDS misstep, though, was that Rodón did not walk a batter. After walking at least one batter in 18 straight outings to close the regular season, the southpaw has not issued a free pass in either of his two postseason starts.

2. Can Bibee give Guardians any length?

Bibee will be pitching on short rest after recording only four outs in Cleveland’s Game 2 loss on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium. The right-hander allowed three runs (two earned) off five hits and one intentional walk while throwing 39 pitches in just 1 1/3 innings. But this time around, the Guardians are hoping to see the version of Bibee who had a 2.52 ERA over his previous seven outings dating to the start of September.

For a Cleveland team that has relied so heavily on its bullpen, getting deeper into the game will be essential for Bibee. He completed at least six innings in four of his five September starts, but he’s yet to finish the fifth in any of his three starts this postseason. Emmanuel Clase has pitched two days in a row and has allowed four runs in just 1 1/3 innings during that span. Fellow high-leverage reliever Cade Smith has pitched on consecutive days — and three straight games — and just allowed three runs off two hits (including a home run) and one walk while recording only one out in Game 4. Overall, Cleveland’s bullpen has handled 23 2/3 innings this series compared to just 11 1/3 frames from the starting rotation.

Needless to say, Cleveland could use a big start from Bibee.

3. Will Juan Soto, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton power Yanks to the Fall Classic?

Stanton has homered in three of the four games in this series, while Judge has homered in two of the four. They both have 15 career postseason homers for the Yankees, tied with Babe Ruth for the fourth most in franchise history. The only Yankees with more postseason homers are Bernie Williams (22), Derek Jeter (20) and Mickey Mantle (18).

The Guardians overcame back-to-back jacks from Judge and Stanton in Game 3, but it’s tough to picture Cleveland sending this series back to the Bronx if Soto, Judge and/or Stanton can put together another big performance in Game 5.

4. Can the Guardians build off season-saving wins in ALDS or will the Yankees send them packing … again?

Prior to a week ago, the Guardians hadn’t won a potential elimination game in 27 years. Then, they won two in a row with their backs against the wall to rally past the Tigers in the ALDS. That snapped an 11-game losing streak in elimination games for Cleveland — a skid that spanned from the 1997 World Series to the 2022 ALDS. Four of those 11 losses came against the Yankees, who sent Cleveland packing in the ’22 ALDS, ’20 AL Wild Card Series, ’17 ALDS and 1998 ALCS.