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Michael King knows he will have a role on the 2022 Yankees, just don’t ask him what it will be.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” the Yankees reliever said with a smile after the 6-5 Opening Day win over the Red Sox on Friday.
In this one, manager Aaron Boone called on King to pitch in the 10th and 11th innings, and he got the Yankees through the two extra frames and picked up the win in the process.
“I kind of came into this with no expectations overall and be ready in any inning whether that’s the second inning or the 10th and 11th,” King said. “Big situations, small situations, I just kind of go out there and do my best and hope to establish a role at some point.”
King gave up a run in the 10th inning, when Xander Bogaerts singled to left field to knock in ghost runner Jonathan Arauz . But that was the only hit he gave up. He struck out three batters and got through the 11th inning cleanly to set up Josh Donaldson’s walk-off single in the bottom of the inning.
“King was terrific to finish it off,” Boone said.
The Yankees’ bullpen will play a critical role early in the season after the truncated spring training. Their starting pitchers are not stretched out yet, as evidenced by Gerritt Cole exiting after four innings Friday. The Yankees need get innings from the bullpen. They used seven relievers in this one.
For King, he is now a full-time reliever after shifting between starting and relieving last season. He missed July and August last year after a freak injury to his right middle finger, suffered while lifting weights. When he returned, he was an effective reliever down the stretch, something he is drawing upon now.
“I actually think as much as getting hurt wasn’t fun,” King said, “it kind of established me as a one- or two-inning guy out of the pen, so I was able to experience that role where I didn’t have that earlier in the season. I was that long guy, kind of spot starter. I got a taste of that and starting and long relief. I feel like I’m more comfortable in those versatile roles.”
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