Do or Die: Yankees Look to Ride Cole Train to ALCS

In what may have been his last start dawning pinstripes, Masahiro Tanaka allowed the Rays to back the Yankees against a wall. But despite emptying the tanks of their elite relievers, the Yankees managed to force a Game 5 with one goal in mind: give the ball to Gerrit Cole.

The richest pitcher in baseball history will get his shot Friday night, pitching on three days rest for the first time in his career against what will likely be a tag-team of the Rays' top tier pitchers, starting with Tyler Glasnow. In other words, the Yankees will try to repeat their Game 1 performance and the Rays will try to follow the script from Game 2. 

It doesn't get much better than this. It's the biggest rivalry in the American League these days (sorry, Boston fans, but you lost that honor when you traded Mookie Betts). It's do or die. It's the most expensive lineup in baseball vs. a "stable of guys who throw 98 miles per hour." And with that, let's preview what we're going to see tonight.