5 players who will decide 2017 ALDS between Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees

Sonny Gray, Yankees, SP

There was talk of the Indians making a play for Sonny Gray before the July trade deadline, but it’s not clear how serious the Indians were. Oakland probably wanted too much, so Gray went to the Yankees.

Gray’s acquisition was a stellar one for the Yankees, who put the Vanderbilt product in the front of their rotation with Luis Severino.

Gray’s record was only 6-8 after the All-Star break, but he did post a 3.12 ERA while opponents hit just .216, as opposed to the .231 clip they hit off the starter in the first half.

When Gray’s on point, he’s very difficult to beat.

Look no further than the Indians performance against him while he was still taking the bump for Oakland.

The Tribe actually beat Gray twice this season, but the time they lost wasn’t pretty. On July 14, Gray threw six innings, allowed zero runs, surrendered two hits, walked one and struck out five.

Gray’s beatable, but he’s scary. That’s why the Yankees ponied up prospects for him before the deadline. Stellar pitching performances can shift this series in favor of New York.