Out of "respect for the playoff races", New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi has announced that he'll put forth his regular everyday line-up tonight when the Yankees take on the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in the season finale.
The Yankees have long since clinched the American League East and have been resting the starters over the last week. The Rays on the other hand, are in a fight to the finish with the Boston Red Sox for the AL Wild Card. The Sox and Rays come into the final day of the season tied with identical records of 90-71.
Girardi felt that, given the importance of tonight's game in the race for the Wild Card, it wouldn't be fair to either team if he sent out anything less than his normal line-up. Brett Gardner is the only Yankee regular not in the starting line-up tonight for the Yankees, replaced by Andruw Jones.
The Yanks will send rookie pitcher Dellin Betances to the mound for the game. Betances surrendered two runs last night in his first major league appearance.