Expect the unexpected in October and Game 4 of the ALCS delivered one of the most unlikely game scripts of them all. Mark Leiter Jr. wasn’t even on the Yankees postseason roster entering Friday, however, an injury to Ian Hamilton led to the right-hander being called upon and he was immediately thrown into the fire. The 33-year-old was called upon in the seventh inning of the Bombers’ wild 8-6 victory over the Guardians at Progressive Field with the game hanging in the balance. Leiter Jr. walked into a first and second situation with one out and the Yankees leading by just one. Having an already taxed bullpen, Aaron Boone was short on options and needed big-time outs from the veteran and he delivered. The New Jersey native retired the next two batters in order — including a scary flyout to the warning track by Game 3’s hero Jhonkensy Noel — and even went back out for the eighth. Despite a bizarre error on a tapper back to the mound that led to a run scoring — which could have been given to Anthony Rizzo as the ball went through his legs — the reliever recorded five enormous outs for the Yanks and gave them an opportunity to rally in the ninth of a 6-6 game. “I liked Leiter against — I know he’s going to have to go through a run of lefties if he’s efficient and we liked that,” said Boone. “But he did a great job, managed contact. Other than [Bo] Naylor’s getting the lead-off double, I thought he was really good. Unfortunately didn’t complete a play there on the tough little squiber, but I thought he threw the ball excellent and obviously in an enormous spot.” Related Articles New York Yankees | Austin Wells’ first playoff homer followed chocolate cake, ice cream and another video session with Anthony Volpe New York Yankees | Yankees inch within 1 win of World Series after wild, bounce-back victory over Guardians in Game 4 New York Yankees | Yankees lose Ian Hamilton to calf injury, not quite ready for Nestor Cortes New York Yankees | Yankees’ Luke Weaver, Clay Holmes dismiss workload concerns after brutal Game 3 loss New York Yankees | Yankees spoil Aaron Judge’s postseason heroics in ‘epic’ loss to Guardians Leiter Jr. did not have the best season for the Yankees. As a trade deadline acquisition from the Chicago Cubs to boost a perceived weak bullpen, he pitched to a 4.98 ERA in 21 games essentially taking him out of postseason roster contention. However, the Yankees skipper told him to be prepared for anything and it seems as though Leiter Jr. could be an enormous part of things moving forward. “Yeah [I told him to stay ready],” Boone said. “Because there’s a case to be made for him to be on both of these times, kind of that last guy left off. He’s been through a lot this year. He’s having a great year with the Cubs, gets traded at the deadline, a big piece for us, a little up-and-down with us, had some success, had some struggles, and then he’s left off. “And it’s like, you are trying to say, hey, anything can happen. The thing I said to him before the game was you might find yourself in the biggest spot of this game, albeit he was ready for it, and he delivered.” The Yankees bullpen will again be taxed entering Game 5 and a potential closeout game to head to their first World Series since 2009. Leiter Jr. will have to stay ready as he could find himself in another key spot as soon as Saturday night. “I was just trying to stay ready and stay sharp,” Leiter Jr. said. “And when my name was called, go out there and do my job.”