The Yankees have a finite window for success this postseason. Due to their own malfeasance during the summer, they're stuck in a best-of-three series to open their run. Win two games or depart the playoffs. It's that simple.
With such a limited opportunity to make an impression, the Yankees really can't afford to sit their clutchest player or their current hottest hitter for even one game. And yet ... with Garrett Crochet on the mound for Boston, there's certainly a chance they leave a little too much meat on the bone in the name of optimizing matchups.
Aaron Boone has the potential to get too cute staring him in the face this week, and The Athletic's Brendan Kuty projected the cutest possible outcome with his Game 1 lineup guess on Monday.