The Yankees have to be pretty happy with their 2024 chances when they face the Guardians in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series. With two wins in the Bronx, 5-2 and 6-3, they secured a 2-0 lead over Cleveland. Even if they suffer a setback, they need just two more wins in the next five games to clinch the 41st pennant in franchise history and their first World Series appearance in 15 years.

Of course, the best-case scenario for Yankees fans is that New York wraps things up at Progressive Field in the next few days. The Guardians need to win at least two of the next three games to keep their season alive. Hopefully the Americans won't let that happen and they have a trick up their sleeve to perhaps increase their chances of keeping the W's. Here is the lineup for Game 3:

2B Gleyber Torres
RF Juan Soto
CF Aaron Richter
DH Giancarlo Stanton
3B Jazz Chisholm Jr.
1B Jon Berti
SS Anthony Volpe
LF Alex Verdugo
C Jose Trevino

Catcher Austin Wells was one of the Yankees' best stories in 2024. After debuting late last season, he earned a starting role this time around, especially when veteran Jose Trevino suffered an injury. The Rookie of the Year candidate was hot for most of the summer, hitting .296/.387/.543 with 19 extra-base hits in 53 games from mid-June to late August. Whether it's the pitching transition or the weight of a full MLB season resting on him, Wells simply hasn't been the same since. After posting a .411 OPS in September, he went 2-for-24 in the Yankees' first six playoff games. Wells fanned 10 times and was easily the worst hitter in the lineup – making him all the more difficult to clean up to keep an eye on.

While acknowledging that his last at-bat at the end of ALCS Game 2 was Wells' best in a long time, it was understandable for manager Aaron Boone to make a change since left-hander Matthew Boyd was starting for Cleveland. So the red-hot Stanton will clean up and Trevino will put on the tools of ignorance and bat ninth, pushing the left-handed Wells to the bench. That being said, it wouldn't shock anyone if he came in for Trevino at a crucial moment, late when Boyd is gone. Wells absolutely still has time to rediscover his bat and assume the starting role again, and that could come as soon as tomorrow as Cleveland may start a bullpen game. However, Wells will sit for Game 3.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. was also cold, in his own 3-for-24 funk, with some poor baserunning and only an ultimately meaningless ALDS Game 2 solo shot that made him better than Wells. So against lefty Boyd, it seemed like an opportunity to use him as well, with Oswaldo Cabrera and Jon Berti both options instead. However, the Yankees are keeping Chisholm around for now, believing their only remaining relevant trade deadline acquisition.

However, Berti will be in the lineup at first base in place of Anthony Rizzo anyway. He did well at the position in the ALDS despite never having pitched a significant inning there in his life, and with southpaw Boyd on the mound and left-hander Rizzo's broken fingers only partially healed anyway, it makes sense to reinstate Berti there. The former has solid career numbers against same-handed pitchers, but those saw a sharp decline in 2024, and it's probably unwise to bet that the 35-year-old can turn back the clock. Rizzo will likely play in Game 3 at some point anyway. Berti beat Kansas City 2:7 in the last round; This will be his first appearance in the ALCS.