KANSAS CITY — When asked why the Yankees were so comfortable away from home this season – they led the majors with 50 road wins – Gleyber Torres offered a reasonable answer.
“Playing on the road, we have a lot of fans to support us,” the second baseman said Tuesday, “and sometimes we feel like we’re playing at home.”
Torres has a point. The Yankees can visit rivals like the Red Sox and Orioles or venture as far as Seattle and still find the confines friendly during the regular season. Their fans travel far and wide, often giving the team at least a semblance of homefield advantage on the road.
Odds are that won’t be the vibe for Game 3 of the ALDS, though.
That will take place in Kansas City on Wednesday night. With the series tied at one and postseason baseball returning to Kauffman Stadium for the first time since the 2015 World Series, playoff-hungry Royals fans are expected to pack the house.
“Now the boos are going to be for them, not for us like it was in New York,” warned longtime Royals catcher Salvador Perez. “I want to see the stadium full like it was in 2014 and 2015.”
While the Yankees will surely be represented in the crowd, Royals players have high expectations for their fans.
Seth Lugo, tabbed to start Game 3, is in his first season with Kansas City, so he hasn’t experienced playoff baseball at Kauffman. However, he’s anticipating a rowdy bunch.
“I’m excited to see how loud it’s going to get,” he said. “They’re going to bring it tomorrow. It’s going to be really exciting.”
The Yankees, who went 3-1 in Kansas City back in June, are also expecting a chaotic setting after providing one in the Bronx for the first two games of the series.
Clarke Schmidt, the Yankees’ Game 3 starter, noted that Kauffman will be a “hostile environment” when he spoke on Tuesday.
Aaron Boone, whose father, Bob, played and managed in Kansas City, agreed.
“Kaufman Stadium is one of those great historic places that’s kind of stood the test of time,” the skipper said. “It’s a beautiful ballpark, rich in history. So I would imagine that they are going to be excited to see their Royals at home coming on the heels of what’s been an outstanding regular season after some lean years for them. But it’s a proud baseball city and town.
“I know they love their Royals, and I would imagine the atmosphere will show that.”
