MLB 2024 ALCS Game 5 Notes

October 19, 2024

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GAME 5
Today in Cleveland, the Guardians will host the New York Yankees in Game 5 of the 2024 American League Championship Series…The Yankees lead the series 3-1, after taking Games 1 and 2 in New York, as well as Game 4 at Progressive Field last night.

New York is looking to win the series tonight and clinch an American League Championship for an MLB record 41st time in franchise history.
Teams to take a 3-1 lead in a best-of-seven Postseason series have gone on to win the series 79 of 93 times (84.9%), including 37 of 45 times in the LCS (82.2%)
Yankees are 10-3 all-time in ALCS Game 5’s…They have won each of their last three Game 5’s since their last loss in 2009 at LAA…NYY is 5-3 when playing ALCS Game 5 on the road and 5-0 in the Bronx.
Cleveland is looking to trim the Yankees series lead to 3-2 and send the series back to New York…Teams that win Game 5 of a seven-game Postseason series when facing elimination have gone on to win the series 14 of 47 times (29.8%), including eight of 26 times in the LCS (30.8%).
Guardians are 2-3 all-time in Game 5 of the ALCS, including a victory at Toronto in their last Game 5 in 2016.

LOOKING TO CLINCH

Yankees are 11-10 all-time in potential clinching games in the ALCS, and have lost seven of their last eight such games…NYY has lost six consecutive road games with a potential ALCS clinch on the line (last clinched pennant on the road in 1999 at Boston).
Cleveland is 0-2 all-time when facing elimination in the ALCS…Tonight is the first potential elimination game in an ALCS since losing Game 7 at Boston in 2007.
Guardians won Games 4 and 5 of the 2024 ALDS vs. Detroit while facing elimination… Before those two victories, Cleveland had lost 11 straight Postseason games (any round) when facing elimination, which dated back to their last such win in Game 6 of the 1997 World Series at Florida.

2024 AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

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.

TODAY’S STARTING PITCHERS
The Game 5 starting pitching match-up features, Cleveland’s Tanner Bibee and New York’s Carlos Rodón, who are both making their second starts of the series.

Bibee has posted a 3.60 ERA (10 IP – 4 ER) to begin the Postseason and was the Guardians regular season leader in starts, innings pitched and strikeouts…He took the loss in Game 2 of the ALCS in the shortest start (1.1 IP) of his MLB career (regular season or Postseason).
Tonight is Bibee’s first career appearance on fewer than four days of rest.
Rodón earned his first career Postseason victory in Game 1 of this ALCS…His nine career wins vs. Cleveland (regular season + Postseason) are his most against any opponent.
- Over his last five starts vs. Cleveland (regular season + Postseason), is 4-0 with a 2.18 ERA (33 IP – 8 ER) and 41 strikeouts.

STRENGTH VS. STRENGTH
During the 2024 regular season, the Guardians 50-30 home record was the best in the American League…The Yankees 50-31 road record was the best in the Majors.

‘PEN PALS
Guardians bullpen has worked 23.2 innings in this series…Third most IP by relievers through the first four games of an LCS all-time, behind the 2021 Astros (28.1 IP) and 2018 Brewers (25.2 IP).

IF THE GUARDIANS ADVANCE
The Guardians are seeking their seventh all-time World Series appearance and first since 2016 (lost to Cubs, 4-3).

Cleveland has not won a World Series since 1948, which is the longest active drought in the Majors.
Cleveland would have home field advantage against the Mets, if NYM wins the National League, but would begin the World Series on the road if the Dodgers win the N.L. pennant.
Cleveland won their first World Series title in 1920 against the Brooklyn Robins (who would ultimately become the L.A. Dodgers) and have never faced the Mets in a World Series.

IF THE YANKEES ADVANCE
The Yankees are seeking their 41st all-time World Series appearance and first since 2009, when they won their 27th World Series Championship in six games vs. Philadelphia.

The 40 American League pennants are an MLB record.
Yankees would have home field advantage against the Mets, if NYM wins the National League, but would begin the World Series on the road if the Dodgers win the N.L. pennant.
The Yankees and Dodgers have faced off in an MLB record 11 World Series (NYY has won 8 of 11).
A Yankees vs. Mets World Series would create the 15th all-time “Subway Series” and second between the Yankees and Mets (NYY won the 2000 World Series in five games).

YANKEES GAME 5 STARTING PITCHER:
LHP CARLOS RODÓN
2024 POSTSEASON: 1-1, 4.66 ERA
2024 REGULAR SEASON: 16-9, 3.96 ERA

TONIGHT’S START: Making third start of the 2024 Postseason for New York and second in the ALCS…This is his fifth career postseason appearance (fourth start) and second career start in the League Championship Series.

2024 POSTSEASON: Is 1-1 with a 4.66 ERA (9.2 IP – 5 ER) in the 2024 Postseason with 16 strikeouts and on walks…Earned the win in last start in Game 1 of the ALCS at Yankee Stadium (6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 SO); only run allowed came on Brayan Rocchio solo HR in 6th inning…Took the loss in his first start on Oct. 7 in Game 2 of the ALDS vs. Kansas City (3.2 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 7 SO); he began the outing holding KC scoreless through the first 3.0 frames, before the Royals plated all four of their runs in that game in the 4th inning.

POSTSEASON CAREER: Is 1-2 with an 6.57 ERA (12.1 IP – 9 ER) and 19 strikeouts across his four career Postseason games (three starts)…Made Postseason debut with White Sox in relief in Game 3 of the 2020 American League Wild Card Series at Oakland and did not record an out (faced thee batters: 1 hit and 2 walks)…Made his first Postseason start for Chicago (A.L.) in Game 4 of the 2021 ALDS vs. Houston (L; 2.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO), in what would be the series clinching game for the Astros.

2024 REGULAR SEASON: In 32 starts for the Yankees, went 16-9 with a 3.96 ERA (175 IP – 77 ER) and 195 strikeouts…Among American League leaders, he was tied for second in wins, tied for fourth in winning percentage (.640) and was seventh in strikeouts… Over his final 13 starts, he went 7-2 with a 3.00 ERA (72 IP – 24 ER) and 90 strikeouts…Overall, he allowed three-or-fewer runs in 24 of 32 starts and two-or-fewer runs in 20 starts…In 14 starts at Yankee Stadium, he went 9-2 with a 3.11 ERA (81 IP – 28 ER) and 91 strikeouts.

VS. CLEVELAND: In 21 career regular season starts vs. Cleveland, is 8-5 with a 2.81 ERA (125 IP – 39 ER) and 124 strikeouts…He earned the win in Game 1 of the 2024 ALCS in his only Postseason start vs. Guardians…Over his last five starts vs. Cleveland (regular season + Postseason), is 4-0 with a 2.18 ERA (33 IP – 8 ER) and 41 strikeouts…His 125 IP and 173 strikeouts in the regular season are his most against any opponent while the eight wins are tied for his most vs. any club.

GUARDIANS GAME 5 STARTING PITCHER:
RHP TANNER BIBEE
2024 POSTSEASON: 0-1, 3.60 ERA
2024 REGULAR SEASON: 12-8, 3.47 ERA

TONIGHT’S START: Making fourth career Postseason start for Cleveland (all in 2024) and second start in the American League Championship Series…Tonight is first career appearance (regular season or Postseason) pitching on fewer than four days of rest.

2024 POSTSEASON: Is 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA (10 IP – 4 ER) and 11 strikeouts in his first career Postseason, following two starts in the ALDS vs. Detroit and the start in Game 2 of the ALCS on Oct. 15…The Guardians were victorious in both of his ALDS starts, but lost his last outing in the ALCS…In Game 1 of the Division Series at Progressive Field, he worked 4.2 scoreless innings, allowing four hits and one walk, with six strikeouts…He tossed 4.0+ innings in Game 4 at Comerica Park, allowing two earned runs on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts; he was removed in the top of the 5th after allowing a solo HR to Zach McKinstry…His 1.1 IP in his Game 2 start in the ALCS marked the shortest outing of his MLB career (regular season or Postseason).

2024 REGULAR SEASON: In his second big league season with Cleveland, went 12-8 with a 3.47 ERA (173.2 IP – 67 ER) and 187 strikeouts across 31 starts…He led the Guardians staff in starts, innings pitched and strikeouts and ranked second in wins, behind Ben Lively (13)…His 187 strikeouts ranked ninth in the American League…Cleveland went 22-9 in his regular season starts…His 2.76 road ERA (84.2 IP – 26 ER) ranked third in the American League and was fifth-best in the Majors.

VS. NEW YORK (A.L.): In the regular season, is 0-0 with a 3.38 ERA (5.1 IP – 2 ER) against the Yankees, following the only previous outing of his career vs. NYY on May 2, 2023 at Yankee Stadium… The start was his second career Major League game and first career road game…In that start, Bibee held the Yankees scoreless through his first 5.0 innings of work, before allowing a solo HR to Anthony Volpe with one out in the 6th and a double to Gleyber Torres, who would score later in the frame after Bibee was removed…His ALCS Game 2 start on Tuesday was his first time facing NYY in the Postseason.