These Six Players Could Be X-Factors In Red Sox Vs. Yankees ALDS Clash

There will be no shortage of star players taking the field Friday night when the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees begin their best-of-five American League Division Series at Fenway Park.

But sometimes it’s the other guys who make the biggest impact.

We all know Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez are the Red Sox’s best hitters and that Chris Sale is one of the best pitchers on the planet. Likewise, we know Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge comprise arguably the most terrifying slugger tandem in Major League Baseball and that Yankees ace Luis Severino is among the game’s elite despite his late-season struggles.

Just don’t be surprised if someone currently flying under the radar emerges as a postseason hero. It’s happened before, and it’ll undoubtedly happen again. Baseball is weird like that, and crazy things tend to happen when the Red Sox and Yankees link up in October.

So, who might unsuspectingly swing the pendulum in his team’s favor this series? Let’s examine a few potential X-factors for both the Red Sox and Yankees as the 2018 playoffs get underway.

RED SOX
Steve Pearce, 1B
The Red Sox acquired Pearce from the Toronto Blue Jays back in June hoping he’d help their issues against left-handed pitching. He’s done even more than that, giving Boston a serious offensive weapon, and his contributions could be vital in the ALDS with New York rolling out a pair of left-handed starters in J.A. Happ and CC Sabathia. Pearce hit .304 with a .959 OPS in 120 plate appearances against southpaws this season. And who could forget him launching three home runs in a 15-4 win over the Yankees in August?

Brock Holt, IF/OF
All signs point toward Red Sox manager Alex Cora using his bench aggressively, perhaps earlier than usual in some instances. If that’s the case, Holt, who probably won’t start any games, could find himself in crucial spots in the later innings, either at the plate or in the field. His versatility will be a huge asset off the bench, and let’s face it: Holt raked down the stretch, slashing .354/.456/.667 with four home runs and 13 RBIs in September.

Nathan Eovaldi, RHP
Eovaldi is scheduled to start Game 4 in New York, but that could change if the Red Sox are forced to use him out of the bullpen before then. Either way, Eovaldi will be counted on to record significant outs at some point, and his past performance against the Yankees and impressive stretch run make him a candidate for success: Eovaldi is 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and 18 strikeouts to four walks over 23 1/3 innings in four career starts against the Yankees. The right-hander posted a 1.35 ERA and 12.2 strikeouts per nine innings in five appearances (four starts) spanning 20 frames in September.

It’s also worth mentioning Eduardo Rodriguez and Steven Wright as possible X-factors. Each is a starter-turned-reliever whose role is relatively undefined yet potentially important.

YANKEES
Gary Sanchez, C
One of the most amazing things about the Yankees’ offensive success this season: They did it with very little production from Sanchez, who hit .186 with a .697 OPS in 89 games. The postseason marks a fresh start for the Yankees catcher, though, and he could be a game-changer. After all, he’s feasted on Red Sox pitching in the past, hitting .303 with eight homers, 19 RBIs and a 1.039 OPS in 18 career games against Boston. The real challenge for Sanchez will be limiting the Red Sox’s impact on the bases, where they could be a nightmare for the young backstop if he doesn’t button things up defensively.

Didi Gregorius, SS
The Yankees’ infield defense can get sloppy. Such is life when you’re relying on two rookies in Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres at third base and second base, respectively. But Gregorius is a stabilizing presence at shortstop for New York. And he’ll need to run the show in the middle of the diamond to ensure the young Yankees don’t shoot themselves in the foot.

Luke Voit, 1B
Voit was a monster late in the season, hitting .333 with 14 homers, 33 RBIs and a 1.095 OPS in 39 games, and the 27-year-old first baseman introduced himself to a national audience Wednesday night in the AL Wild Card Game by delivering a huge two-run triple against the Oakland Athletics. The Yankees’ lineup packs a punch with or without Voit, but if he’s mashing, look out.