Lest anyone forget, the Yankees rather infamously used rookie right-hander Deivi García as an opener in Game 2 of last year’s Division Series against the Rays, then quickly removed him for lefty J.A. Happ.
In Game 2!
The Yankees wanted to space out their two veteran starters, right-handers Gerrit Cole and Masahiro Tanaka, in part to avoid heavy bullpen usage in potential back-to-back elimination situations in Games 3 and 4. But looking back, the decision also might have signaled eroding faith in Tanaka, who received an extra day’s rest after struggling in the wild-card round against the Indians, albeit in a start twice delayed by rain. Would the Yankees have chosen the same plan if they viewed Cole and Tanaka the way the Dodgers view, say, Walker Buehler and Clayton Kershaw?
Enter free-agent right-hander Corey Kluber.
The Yankees evidently believe the two-time American League Cy Young winner, if healthy, will be a…
