The back end of the New York Yankees bullpen was a big question mark entering October, but manager Aaron Boone appears to have found the winning formula.

The Yankees beat the Cleveland Guardians 6-3 in Game 2 of the ALCS on Tuesday night, surviving a relatively short start from ace Gerrit Cole. Last year’s AL Cy Young winner lasted just 4.2 innings and put a lot of pressure on New York’s relievers in what was then a 3-1 game.

Clay Holmes took over for Cole with the bases loaded, and although he let one of the inherited runners score on an RBI groundout, he otherwise got out of the frame unscathed.

As the Yankees’ offense built a four-run lead, Tim Hill and Tommy Kahnle each recorded pitches by combining to pitch 3.0 scoreless innings. That put Luke Weaver in position to take the top of the ninth since he’s already played all of the playoffs.

Weaver hit a one-out solo home run off José Ramírez, but still got New York home. Holmes was credited with the win as the Yankees took a 2-0 lead in the series.

In six games this postseason, New York’s bullpen has posted a 0.77 ERA and 0.857 WHIP, by far the best marks of the four remaining teams. Boone, pitching coach Matt Blake and bullpen coach Mike Harkey have also managed the group incredibly consistently, with Holmes and Weaver taking the mound in all six of the Yankees’ playoff games so far.

According to MLB.com’s Sarah Langs, Weaver and Holmes are the seventh reliever duo in MLB history to appear in each of their team’s first six playoff games. They are the first pair to achieve this in Yankees franchise history.

According to Langs, only 2019’s Adam Ottavino, 2009’s Mariano Rivera and 2004’s Mariarno Rivera had individually achieved this feat before them.

Holmes was New York’s closer for most of the season and reached the All-Star Game for the second time in three years. But while Holmes posted a career-high 30 saves, his 3.14 ERA was his worst since arriving in the Bronx in 2021 and his 13 blown saves led the league.

With Holmes now in a lower-leverage role for the playoffs, he has a 0.00 ERA and 0.750 WHIP this postseason.

Weaver, on the other hand, has thrived since taking over as the Yankees’ closer. He opened October with a historic four-out save in Game 1 of the ALDS, and although his ERA is no longer perfect, Weaver still boasts a 1.29 ERA, 0.571 WHIP, 11.6 strikeouts per nine innings and four Have saves in the playoffs.

The 31-year-old journeyman also entered the history books in exclusive company on Tuesday, becoming the third pitcher ever to finish each of his team’s first six games in a postseason. As Sarah Langs of MLB.com noted, José Leclerc (2023) and Kenley Jansen (2017) are the only other members of this club.

Behind their shutdown bullpen, the Yankees will head to Cleveland for Game 3 of the ALCS on Thursday. The first pitch for this competition is scheduled for 5:08 p.m. ET.

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