AL DIVISION SERIES: ROYALS VS YANKEES

October 6, 2024

Matt Quatraro

Yankee Stadium

Kansas City Royals

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. I wonder just looking back at last night's game, what were the conversations perhaps about bringing in Erceg any earlier than you did, especially in the seventh inning with a man on second? Just curious what those decisions were like.

MATT QUATRARO: Yeah, challenging for sure. You're thinking tie game, we have confidence in Lorenzen, especially against left-handed hitters with his changeup, and also thinking Erceg is likely to go multiple innings, trying to save every out possible. For him probably in that situation there, if Lorenzen gets Verdugo, I'm looking at Erceg throwing two innings, so the possibility of him throwing two plus is probably less likely.

But certainly all those things were on my mind of even possibly bringing him in in the sixth inning. Nothing was off the table there. Then trying to figure out, okay, how is the rest of this game going to unfold.

If we had had the lead there in the seventh, he would have been in the game sooner. Tie game, certainly up for question of when we do it or not do it, but all of those things were in consideration.

Q. I was wondering if Yuli showed his wisdom and age last night for the 11-pitch at-bat, going to third, Salvy is out at home. Defensively, as well, comment on his night in Game 1.

MATT QUATRARO: Yeah, I would start with that play in the first inning, just the wherewithal, the understanding, the ability to make that play look easy, make an accurate throw to the plate. His at-bats were tremendous, two walks. Surprisingly looking at it prior to the series, he hasn't faced Cole a lot. They were teammates and all that kind of stuff, but I was a little surprised that he hadn't faced him a little bit more.

I'm not sure why it just jumped out at me, but to have those at-bats against somebody you're not familiar with. Like we talked about pregame, the 80-something postseason games, there's something to be said for that and being able to slow things down and understand the moment. He certainly did show his professionalism.

I wish that last ball had gotten up a little bit more for a homer. But regardless, he played an outstanding game all the way around.

Q. How different do you think you managed last night with the extra off-day with the bullpen usage?

MATT QUATRARO: Yeah, for sure, no question. If that's the first game of three in a row or something like that, you're going to -- I don't know if we possibly would have gone to the bullpen at the same time, but maybe different guys. I didn't think about it from the standpoint of -- I didn't go back and deconstruct the game as if we had three in a row because we don't.

But I talked about it prior to the game, if those first few innings go extra smooth for Wacha, maybe he gets that third time through.

But they were making him work, and it was a challenge, and all those things we talked about last night. But definitely the off-days factor into the bullpen management.

Q. Also, in any way do the extra off-days make it harder for the hitters just to stay in rhythm because it's so different from the regular season where you play six times a week or seven?

MATT QUATRARO: I don't think so at this time of year. I mean, we had an off-day prior to the series in Baltimore. In September we had an off-day almost every week, if not two in some of the weeks.

I think extra rest at this time of year is probably a benefit.

Q. Did you hear from major league baseball regarding that Chisholm call at second base?

MATT QUATRARO: Well, I asked for one, yeah. They just said there was nothing clear and convincing to overturn it, and if he had been called out, that call would have stood, too.

Q. Massey was saying yesterday just about the system overall when you've got a video like that, how hard it is when you go back and look and see pretty good evidence that he was out and then it still stands. What's your view on that situation and the system as a whole?

MATT QUATRARO: Well, I think the system as a whole is something that we need. I mean, technology is so good these days that I think we should use it. We see it in all major sports. Even in lower level sports they're starting to use it, as well.

I definitely think the system is needed.

I guess the biggest question on my part is it's kind of like a court system; you have to -- clear and convincing and what does that mean. There's always going to be some interpretation unless it's somehow completely automated, which that's not something I should even speak on because I have no idea what I'm talking about.

As long as there's reasonable doubt or whatever, then it's always -- the stands versus overturned, that's going to be a tough decision for them.

Look, I understand -- I don't know how many people looked at it in the office and all that kind of stuff, but clearly we're saying that there was evidence to overturn it. But we're talking about a fraction of an inch at high speed and all that. I understand how difficult that is on everybody involved.

Clearly we thought we had a good case to have it overturned. It didn't go our way. That's a crucial point in the game. But there were a lot of other crucial points in the game, as well, that we just have to figure out how to be one better when those kinds of things happen.

Q. You bring in Hampson to pinch-hit there. What went into the decision leading to that, the two-run RBI?

MATT QUATRARO: Well, Tim Hill is a really tough sinker baller. Really once we got a guy in scoring position, we were going to go to Hampson even if it was just a guy on first, because we like his opportunity to make contact there. We like the fact that he can force things on the bases, as well.

Clearly they want Tim Hill in there against left-handed hitters. So to give Hampson an opportunity -- now, I think Tommy's at-bat prior to that helped out a lot in putting some pitches on Tim, but also on guys seeing what he was doing and how he was pitching.

That's kind of how we've been built, to use the platoon in that spot. And I think that's a great opportunity for Hampson, somebody that's a veteran player, that the moment is not going to be too big for him.

Q. Bobby said last night we didn't play close to our best game but we were right there, a game that could have gone either way. Is that kind of the sentiment of the team heading into this off-day and then Game 2?

MATT QUATRARO: Well, if that's what Bobby said, that's how he's feeling. You'll hear -- we came into this series knowing we belonged in this series. It's not a, well, can we play with these guys. We know we can play with these guys, and we're not playing -- this isn't a feel-good thing. We're trying to win. We came up short last night. We issued a lot of free bases. We did not do enough to win the game. That's really the takeaway for me.

I have no question in my mind we are going to be ready to play come Monday. It's going to be exciting. It's going to be another great environment, and our guys are going to be ready.

Q. I know we talked a lot about the quality of at-bats, but just the aggressiveness by some of your hitters early in counts, what did you think about that, and do you think it can carry over to Game 2?

MATT QUATRARO: Well, yeah. We swung the bats well last night. I think that's the best we've swung the bats probably in a couple weeks, to be honest, and to do that against Cole was reassuring. You go back to the first inning, Massey puts a good swing on it, Bobby puts a good swing on it, Vinnie puts a good swing on it. You come away with nothing to show for it, which that's baseball; that's going to happen. They hit some balls that they didn't get anything to show for either.

We know we're going to have to swing the bats to beat these guys. They're a good lineup, especially -- you can't expect to keep them to zero or one run very often. We know we're going to have to swing the bats, and I certainly hope they built some confidence yesterday.

Q. Have you announced a Game 3 starter or are you going to wait?

MATT QUATRARO: We're going to wait just to see how Game 2 evolves.

Q. With Lugo presumably on enough rest for Game 3, will he be available or was he available in the bullpen yesterday?

MATT QUATRARO: He was not yesterday, no.