Yankees Reveal Rotation for ALDS and Announce CC Sabathia Won't Be on Playoff Roster

With every bit of inspiring news for the New York Yankees comes a setback that gives you temporary emotional pause these days.

After days (weeks?) of deliberation, the Yanks have officially announced their 1-2-3 for the ALDS against Minnesota, and though the names have been public knowledge for a while, the order is a bit surprising.

James Paxton felt like a Game 1 shoo-in, having won 10 consecutive starts prior to his injury-shortened outing in Texas last week. However, the "Tanaka vs. Severino" Game 2 debate raged in full in recent days. Tanaka's the playoff stalwart, and his home-road splits this year indicated he should've been trusted at home to either keep momentum going or stem the tide (Remember London? Remember Boston?). However, young and excitable Severino in a road environment, coming back from injury...

Ultimately, this feels like a coin flip, and the Yankees like the veteran presence at home in a pivotal showdown.

Unfortunately, the news is not so bright for one of the longest-tenured Yankees: CC Sabathia, at age 39 and in his final season, did not make the roster.

Though the conversation surrounding a clearly hobbled CC's role in the postseason was destined to be awkward, an injury setback likely removed much of the trepidation.

Even if it's possible, he shouldn't have been slotted in the 'pen. It turns out he couldn't have completed the task anyway.

Though any Yankee fan worth his salt wishes the big lion had a chance to enter in a key spot and be a playoff buzzsaw, we no doubt understand, and will value his bench contributions regardless.