When the Yankees announced their roster to start the MLB playoffs, they left several notable contributors from the regular season off the list.
Among the Yankees to miss the past week's three-game sweep of the Minnesota Twins in the ALDS, OF Clint Frazier and 1B/DH Mike Ford headlined the omissions, but neither of them have let that alter their approach.
As the Yankees await their opponent for the ALCS with Game 5 between the Astros and Tampa Bay Rays, to be determined Thursday at 7:07 p.m. ET from Minute Maid Park in Houston, Frazier and Ford highlight the ready reserves.
"I think all of us are ready to help if called upon," Frazier said Tuesday, according to the Associated Press. "It's obviously a situation that you'd rather be there, but if we're called upon I think anyone of us is ready to go up there and contribute."
Before the Yankees secured Monday's 5-1 win over the Twins at Target Field in Minnesota, they sent Ford and three others -- LHP Jordan Montgomery, RHP Cory Gearrin and LHP Stephen Tarpley -- to their Tampa, Fla. training complex.
Other injured Yankees -- such as OF Aaron Hicks, who has "pretty much been doing everything" with an eye on a potential ALCS return -- are working back, including the ongoing recoveries of 3B Miguel Andujar and 1B/OF Greg Bird.
With INF Thairo Estrada, RHP Ben Heller and RHP David Hale also down at the minor-league facilities, Frazier and the next-man-up Yankees keep loose just in case.
"It's a unique situation, especially because it's hard to break into the big leagues as it is," Frazier said. "So, I think it's one of those things when you finally do break in, it's one of the best feelings that you can have. I've had that feeling for a little bit this year, and I'm searching for that feeling again. All I can do is continue to wait."