Astros rely on youth, Yankees load up behind Tanaka on wild-card roster
The New York Yankees opted for lots of depth behind starter Masahiro Tanaka for the American League wild-card game, while the Houston Astros will carry five players age 25 or younger on their roster for Tuesday's showdown in the Bronx.
PITCHERS
| Player | Throws | ERA |
|---|---|---|
| Dellin Betances | R | 1.50 |
| Andrew Miller | L | 2.04 |
| Bryan Mitchell | R | 6.37 |
| Ivan Nova | R | 5.07 |
| James Pazos | L | 0.00 |
| Luis Severino | R | 2.89 |
| Masahiro Tanaka | R | 3.51 |
| Adam Warren | R | 3.29 |
| Justin Wilson | L | 3.10 |
CATCHERS
| Name | Bats/Throws | OPS |
|---|---|---|
| Brian McCann | L/R | .756 |
| John Ryan Murphy | R/R | .734 |
| Gary Sanchez | R/R | .000 |
INFIELDERS
| Name | Bats/Throws | OPS |
|---|---|---|
| Dustin Ackley | L/R | .712 |
| Greg Bird | L/R | .871 |
| Didi Gregorius | L/R | .688 |
| Chase Headley | S/R | .693 |
| Rob Refsnyder | R/R | .859 |
| Alex Rodriguez | R/R | .842 |
| Brendan Ryan | R/R | .608 |
OUTFIELDERS
| Name | Bats/Throws | OPS |
|---|---|---|
| Carlos Beltran | S/R | .808 |
| Jacoby Ellsbury | L/L | .663 |
| Brett Gardner | L/L | .742 |
| Slade Heathcott | L/L | 1.149 |
| Rico Noel | R/R | 1.000 |
| Chris Young | R/R | .773 |
Among the nine pitchers on New York's roster is rookie right-hander Luis Severino, the 21-year-old who will likely get the ball if Tanaka falters early. James Pazos, another rookie, will also be available out of the bullpen, getting the nod in lieu of Chasen Shreve, who made 59 appearances for the Yankees during the regular season.
The Yankees also decided to roster three catchers, carrying John Ryan Murphy and prospect Gary Sanchez in addition to Brian McCann, who has never had an at-bat against Astros starter Dallas Keuchel.
Though the Yankees elected to carry both Severino and Ivan Nova, the Astros chose to carry just one starter other than Keuchel, the AL leader with 232 innings pitched this season, in right-hander Mike Fiers.
PITCHERS
| Player | Throws | ERA |
|---|---|---|
| Josh Fields | R | 3.55 |
| Mike Fiers | R | 3.69 |
| Luke Gregerson | R | 3.10 |
| Will Harris | R | 1.90 |
| Dallas Keuchel | L | 2.48 |
| Pat Neshek | R | 3.62 |
| Oliver Perez | L | 4.17 |
| Chad Qualls | R | 4.38 |
| Tony Sipp | L | 1.99 |
CATCHERS
| Name | Bats/Throws | OPS |
|---|---|---|
| Jason Castro | L/R | .648 |
| Hank Conger | S/R | .759 |
INFIELDERS
| Name | Bats/Throws | OPS |
|---|---|---|
| Jose Altuve | R/R | .812 |
| Chris Carter | R/R | .734 |
| Carlos Correa | R/R | .857 |
| Matt Duffy | R/R | .944 |
| Marwin Gonzalez | S/R | .759 |
| Jed Lowrie | S/R | .712 |
| Luis Valbuena | L/R | .748 |
| Jonathan Villar | S/R | .752 |
OUTFIELDERS
| Name | Bats/Throws | OPS |
|---|---|---|
| Evan Gattis | R/R | .748 |
| Carlos Gomez | R/R | .724 |
| Jake Marisnick | R/R | .665 |
| Colby Rasmus | L/L | .789 |
| George Springer | R/R | .826 |
| Preston Tucker | L/L | .734 |
The Astros also decided to carry only two catchers, loading up instead on infield depth. In addition to presumed starters Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, Chris Carter, and Jed Lowrie, the Astros will have another four infielders available off the bench, including two switch-hitters.
Carlos Gomez, meanwhile, will also head to New York for the one-game playoff despite missing the final series of the regular season with an intercostal strain that plagued him for much of September.