Alex Cora didn’t hesitate when asked about Lucas Giolito’s status for the Wild Card series between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. With Game 1 at Yankee Stadium, Cora revealed his pitcher’s fate. “He’s not going to be on the roster,” Cora said. “He’s been battling with his elbow the last few days.”

Giolito had been one of Boston’s most reliable arms this season, finishing 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA across 26 starts and striking out 121 batters. But the manager made it clear there’s no chance he pitches in this opening series. “Hopefully it’s nothing major, but he won’t be ready for this one,” Cora said.

Without Giolito, Cora pointed toward his rotation options and hinted at a mix of youth and experience. “We’ll go the first two games, and then we’ll decide,” he explained. “Obvious

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