Yankees' path to AL playoffs: What to know as they battle Red Sox and Blue Jays
This is all right in front of the New York Yankees.
One ticket to MLB’s October tournament is available, with two series remaining against their rivals in the AL wild card race.
And here we go.
Beginning on Friday night at Fenway Park, the Yankees play three games against the wild-card leading Boston Red Sox (88-65).
From there, the Yanks (86-67) spin up to Toronto to play the Blue Jays (85-67), with New York leading by a half game for the second wild-card spot entering Thursday's action.
After that, the Yankees' final three games are at home against the soon-to-be-crowned-again AL East champion Tampa Bay Rays.
“It’s always a challenge when you play three really good teams in Toronto, Boston and Tampa,’’ Kyle Higashioka told reporters Wednesday, after the Yankees completed a three-game sweep of last-place Texas. “We’re up for it.
“If we’re not up for it, we’re going to be heading home, so we know what’s at stake.’’
Yankees' chances of making playoffs?
Off the bat, the Yankees still have the steepest odds against them, based on a schedule that favors Boston and Toronto with nine games remaining.
The Yankees enter Fenway Park having lost six of seven games at Boston this season.
Overall, Aaron Boone’s club is 6-10 this year against both the Red Sox and Blue Jays, who will be hosting the Yankees for the first time at Rogers Centre since 2019.
Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays' schedules
Yankees (9 games): at Boston (3), at Toronto (3), home vs. Tampa Bay (3).
Red Sox (9 games): home vs. Yankees (3), at Baltimore (3), at Washington (3).
Blue Jays (10 games): at Minnesota (4), home vs. Yankees (3), home vs. Baltimore (3).
Things could not have broken better for the Sox and Jays, with two series each against last-place teams – including the 104-loss Baltimore Orioles – along with their head-to-head matchup against the Yanks.
Based on that schedule, the Yankees might have to win seven of their last nine games to claim the second wild card spot.
And despite coasting to another division title, the Rays should be motivated to try and knock the Yankees out of the playoff picture during that final weekend of the regular season.
When does Gerrit Cole pitch?
Coming off a clunker of a start against Cleveland last weekend, Yankees’ ace Gerrit Cole begins the series at Boston on regular rest, opposing ex-Yankee Nathan Eovaldi.
Cole will get the ball again on normal rest Wednesday at Toronto, in the second game of that three-game series at Toronto.
Then, if necessary, Cole would be available to pitch on short rest against Tampa Bay on Oct. 3, the final day of the regular season, if the Yanks are in a must-win scenario.
Saturday at Fenway, it’s Nestor Cortes against Nick Pavetta, and Sunday it’s Jordan Montgomery against Eduardo Rodriguez.
That lines up Corey Kluber, Cole and Cortes for the Toronto series, on normal rest, as the Yankees at least benefit from Monday’s scheduled off day.
Yankees bullpen injury updates
Back from shoulder issues, both Luis Severino and Domingo German could provide a necessary boost to a weary bullpen in a multi-inning role.
And the Yanks are still hopeful that Jonathan Loaisiga (rotator cuff strain) might return during the season's final week.
Having emerged as a key setup man, Loaisiga's absence has been damaging to the Yankees' chances down the stretch.
But if the Yankees can regain some of that signature bullpen strength, that ability to lock down leads gives them a chance of surviving this all-on-the-line nine-game stretch.