2024 AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Tonight begins the 55th American League Championship Series since divisional play began in 1969, and the 39th year of the best-of-seven format for the Championship Series…The New York Yankees will be playing the Cleveland Guardians for the American League pennant, in the seventh Postseason series between the clubs (second ALCS meeting).
- New York is playing in their 19th ALCS, which is the most League Championship Series appearances of any Major League team…This is the Yankees 14th ALCS in the best-of-seven format and fourth in the last eight years… Overall, the Yankees have won 11 of their previous 18 ALCS appearances, including seven of 13 in the best-of-seven format… NYY won 10 of first 11 ALCS appearances, but have lost six of last seven.
- Cleveland is competing in their sixth ALCS and first since 2016…All six ALCS appearances have come in the best-of-seven era… Cleveland has won three of their previous five ALCS appearances, with wins coming in 1995, 1997 & 2016 and losses in 1998 and 2007.
- This series is a rematch of the 1998 ALCS, which was won by the Yankees in six games… New York won Games 4-6 in that series after Cleveland took two of the first three contests.
- This is the first ALCS without the Astros since 2016 (Cleveland vs. Toronto)…Houston had a record seven consecutive ALCS appearances from 2016-23.
REGULAR SEASON HEAD-TO-HEAD
The Yankees won the 2024 regular season series 4-2 over Cleveland…New York took two of three games at Progressive Field from April 13-14, including a doubleheader sweep on April 13… Yankees also won two of three games at Yankee Stadium from Aug. 20-22…The Yankees averaged 6.2 runs per game vs. Cleveland in 2024, which was the most by any A.L. team against the Guardians pitching staff.
GAME 1
Since the American League Championship Series became a best-of-seven format in 1985, 23 of the 38 teams to win Game 1 have gone on to win the series (60.5%), including each of the last four Game 1 winners and 10 of the last 13.
- The Yankees are 11-7 in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series, including an 8-5 record in the best-of-seven era.
- New York is 6-4 when hosting Game 1 of the ALCS, including a victory vs. Cleveland in 1998.
- Yankees are 1-1 in ALCS Game 1’s at the new Yankee Stadium…NYY lost in 2012 vs. Detroit in 12 innings and defeated the Angels in 2009.
- The Guardians are 1-4 in Game 1 of the ALCS, with the victory coming in their most recent contest in 2016 vs. Toronto.
- Cleveland is 0-4 when playing Game 1 of the ALCS on the road.
THE MANAGERS
The 2024 ALCS features Guardians rookie manager Stephen Vogt facing off against New York’s Aaron Boone, the second-longest tenured skipper in the American League (behind Tampa Bay’s Kevin Cash).
- Aaron Boone has led his team to the Postseason in six of his seven seasons as Yankees Manager, including three ALCS appearances (2019, 2022 & 2024)
- His teams are 0-2 in League Championship Series, losing to Houston in six games in 2019 and in a four game sweep vs. Houston in 2022.
- Boone holds a 17-18 all-time record in Postseason games as a manager; the 17 wins rank seventh among active skippers and are sixth among Yankees managers all-time.
- With his next win, Boone would tie Ron Washington for sixth-most Postseason wins among active managers and would tie Miller Huggins for fifth-most among Yankees managers.
- Stephen Vogt has led the Guardians to the ALCS, becoming the first manager in franchise history to win a playoff series in his first season as a manager.
- Vogt is the 16th rookie manager to reach a League Championship Series and seventh in the A.L., joining: Billy Martin (1969 MIN), Jim Frey (1980 KC), Joe M. Morgan (1988 BOS), Cito Gaston (1989 TOR), Ron Gardenhire (2002 MIN) and Alex Cora (2018 BOS). (credit: ELIAS)
- Stephen Vogt and Mets manager Carlos Mendoza are the first pair of rookie managers to reach the League Championship Series in the same season.
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHERS
The Game 1 starting pitchers, Cleveland’s Alex Cobb and New York’s Carlos Rodón were teammates in the 2022 San Francisco Giants starting rotation.
- Cobb is seeking his first Postseason winning decision since the 2013 A.L. Wild Card Game for Tampa Bay at Cleveland on Oct. 2, 2013.
- If he gets the win tonight, the span 4,030 days between playoff wins would set a Major League record…According to ELIAS, the current record is 3,649 days by Don Robinson between Game 2 of the 1979 World Series for Pittsburgh at BAL and Game 3 of the 1989 NLCS for San Francisco vs. CHC.
- Rodón is seeking his first career Postseason victory…His eight career regular season wins vs. Cleveland are tied for his most against any opponent and he went 9-2 with a 3.11 ERA 81 IP – 28 ER) in 14 starts at Yankee Stadium this season.
UMPIRES
22-year Major League Umpire Dan Iassogna will serve as the Crew Chief of this seven-man crew in the 2024 ALCS, which includes regular season crew chief Alan Porter, as well as Vic Carapazza, Mike Estabrook, Gabe Morales, Chris Segal and Jansen Visconti.
- Estabrook, Morales, Segal and Visconti are making their LCS on-field debuts.
- All seven umpires could receive one plate assignment during the series if it goes seven games…Each umpire will be in reserve during the game prior to their schedule plate duties.
- When Iassogna is off the field for Game 2, Porter will serve as the Crew Chief.
- Major League Umpires Scott Barry, Alfonso Márquez and Ben May will serve as the Replay Officials for this series.
