Yankees announce World Series roster

Shortly after the Dodgers released their World Series roster, the Yankees did the same, officially revealing the 26 players who will suit up for the club in the Fall Classic.

The only change the Yankees made to their ALCS roster was swapping out infielder Jon Berti for left-handed pitcher Nestor Cortes. Cortes hit the injured list in late September with a flexor strain in his pitching arm and was unavailable for the ALDS and ALCS. However, he continued to work toward a possible return, telling reporters (including Brendan Kuty of The Athletic), “If I have a ring and then a year off of baseball, so be it.”

Presumably, he will only be available out of the bullpen, but manager Aaron Boone is undoubtedly pleased to have the All-Star hurler back in any capacity. Cortes made 30 starts this season with a 3.77 ERA and 4.02 SIERA over 174 1/3 innings pitched. The Yankees went with an 11-man pitching staff against the Royals in the ALDS and a 12-man staff against the Guardians in the ALCS. They now carry a maximum of 13 pitchers by replacing Berti with Cortes. That seems wise; Boone will need as many options as possible to keep this powerhouse Dodgers lineup at bay.

Considering his poor performance so far in October, it’s not necessarily shocking that Berti was the odd man out. Over four games, he had two singles and a walk in 12 trips to the plate. That being said, one might have thought his top-tier sprint speed and ability to play all over the infield would help him keep his spot on the roster. Berti is the fastest player on the team, making him a vital asset as a late-inning pinch runner. The Yankees also have an abundance of outfielders, including Trent Grisham, who has yet to appear in a game this postseason. Meanwhile, Oswaldo Cabrera is now the only infielder on the bench.

Another note is that Mark Leiter Jr. remains on the roster, unlike Ian Hamilton. Hamilton was removed from the ALCS with a left calf strain and thus could not rejoin the team for the World Series.

The full roster:

• Right-handed pitchers: Gerrit Cole, Jake Cousins, Luis Gil, Clay Holmes, Tommy Kahnle, Mark Leiter Jr., Clarke Schmidt, Marcus Stroman, Luke Weaver
• Left-handed pitchers: Nestor Cortes, Tim Hill, Tim Mayza, Carlos Rodón
• Catchers: Jose Trevino, Austin Wells
• Infielders: Anthony Rizzo, Gleyber Torres, Anthony Volpe
• Outfielders: Jasson Domínguez, Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Giancarlo Stanton, Alex Verdugo
• Utility: Oswaldo Cabrera, Jazz Chisholm Jr.