While the seven-game ALCS may put a larger strain on the bullpen than the previous five-game series, the Tigers have not made any changes to their playoff roster for the upcoming series against the New York Yankees. Some pundits, myself included, speculated that the Tigers may add another bullpen arm -- possibly Brayan Villarreal or Darin Downs -- in favor of Ramon Santiago or Danny Worth. Personally, I'm a bit disappointed that Downs wasn't added, given the number of left-handed bats that the Yankees have in their lineup.
Speaking of the Yankees, they added right-handed relief pitcher Cody Eppley to their roster, replacing infielder Eduardo Núñez. This move, coupled with the decision to leave right-handed starter Ivan Nova off the roster, signals that David Phelps will be New York's likely starter in Game 2 tomorrow afternoon. Phelps was 4-4 with a 3.34 ERA in 33 appearances (including 11 starts) this season.
Núñez, a right-handed batter, would have seen limited action (if any at all) due to the number of right-handed pitchers on the Tigers' roster. Eppley was 1-2 with a 3.33 ERA in 59 relief appearances for the Yankees in the regular season.