Guardians must find an answer for Harrison Bader’s postseason power surge

CLEVELAND, Ohio — With Aaron Judge always lurking, the Guardians did not expect Harrison Bader to be the Yankees outfielder to give them fits in the American League Division Series. But Bader has been more than happy to oblige.

Judge hit 62 home runs in the regular season, but Bader has hit the most damaging home runs in the postseason as far as Cleveland is concerned.

Bader’s three home runs in four games, including a 429-foot blast in the second inning Sunday, represent a power surge that is picking up where Judge has lacked and helped New York force a pivotal Game 5 in the Bronx on Monday.

Bader hit just five home runs during the regular season, but found his power stroke early in the playoffs with a solo home run in Game 1 off Cal Quantrill, and another off Sam Hentges in Game 3.

Bader is now 5 for 7 with three home runs, a double and four RBI in his career against Quantrill, who says the Yankees center fielder has capitalized on some bad pitches against him.

“For me, you throw a pitch there, there’s never a good outcome,” Quantrill said. “He’s seeing some good pitches to hit and he’s hit them.”

All three of Bader’s home runs in the series have traveled at least 400 feet. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Bader’s two-run shot on Sunday was important because it gave New York a little cushion early.

“He really stepped on that ball tonight, I mean, that’s a bomb,” Boone said.

Boone said Bader, acquired at the trade deadline from St. Louis while he was injured, worked hard to get into the lineup.

“We got to see it there the last couple of weeks in the season when he was able to get back, just kind of what a gritty kind of gamer that he is,” Boone said. “The power showing up here in the post season for us has been big.”

Bader said a key to his recent success has been remaining present and focusing along with his teammates.

“You just play each out, you play each at-bat as just a singular event, and you just go from there and keep repeating it until the game is over,” Bader said. “Just remaining present, trying to put a good swing on the ball. Trying to put the ball in play for my team.”

He said relaxing and not forcing the game in any way has helped.

“Any time you try to force an action it doesn’t really work well,” Bader said. “You get fast, you get sped up, and in a game where there is a lot of emotion behind every pitch, the only way to do it, in my opinion, is to slow it down. It’s a lot easier to execute your approach and what you’re trying to do.”

Bader said heading into Game 5 he is trying to ignore the numbers and just look for his next opportunity.

“You just look to do damage in the zone you’re looking for,” Bader said. “(Monday) is a new day with a new pitcher and a new arm, we’ll game plan accordingly.”

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