The New York Yankees continue their battle for a postseason spot, and it’s no secret that they’ve improved in recent weeks to hold the first of three spots in the American League Wild Card race. Aaron Boone has found answers that are sparking bold predictions heading into the playoffs.
Can the Yankees still win the American League East?
At this moment, nothing is set in stone, and MLB insiders at ESPN have made their daring predictions for this thrilling final stretch. No doubt, many fans will love this.
“Actually, the Yankees will win the AL East,”Alden Gonzalez said when asked for his one bold prediction.
“Not only do the Yankees overtake Toronto for the division title, but they also grab a first-round bye, even if they can’t quite catch the Tigers for the No. 1 seed,”Tristan Cockcroft added.
But not everyone agrees, with some believing the Yankees‘ path will be more complicated.
“The Red Sox will catch the Blue Jays and win the AL East,”David Schoenfield predicted.
On Sunday, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale offered his forecast for the AL East.
“(The Blue Jays) have opened the door of late for the surging Boston Red Sox and Yankees, going just 11-11 in August outside their three-game demolition of the Rockies,” Nightengale wrote.
“The sizzling Red Sox are the team to watch in the AL East, and have three games left against the Blue Jays in Toronto the final week of the season,” Nightengale added. “Yet, those are the only games the Blue Jays will play against contenders in the final 16 games of the season.”
The Yankees woke up on Tuesday tied for second place in the American League East, 2.5 games behind the Blue Jays. New York also shares the lead in the Wild Card race with the Red Sox.
The road ahead won’t be easy for Aaron Boone‘s team: three games against the Astros, leaders of the West; three at home against the Blue Jays, division leaders; another three against the Tigers, tops in the Central; and a series against their eternal rivals, the Red Sox.
The outlook is even tougher considering the Yankees have already lost their season series against Boston (2-8) and Toronto (3-7).
The good news for New York is that the schedule eases up toward the end: they’ll close with 10 consecutive games against bottom-tier teams, including four against the Orioles and three against the White Sox.
Moreover, FanGraphs projections are optimistic: the Yankees have a 99% chance of making the playoffs and lead the American League with an 11.9% chance of reaching the World Series. Only the Dodgers (18.1%) have better odds of winning the title.
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