By the close of August 23, the Yankees were 6.5 games behind Toronto. The top of the American League East seemed a distant dream for the New Yorkers, victims of the collapse of their bullpen and also touched by Aaron Judge’s shoulder injury that kept him away from the field for some days.
But the team has experienced a resurgence and of their last 29 games they have won 21, the second most in Major League Baseball in this span, only surpassed by the Cleveland Guardians. This winning pace has allowed them to catch up with the Blue Jays with the same record (90-68) and to challenge for the circuit’s championship.
Winning the Division is no small feat, because the winner of that ticket will avoid the wild-card round and, most likely, also guarantee starting at home each of the postseason series against American League rivals.
Four games with everything at stake
There are only four games left in the MLB regular season and there is still a lot to be decided. In the case of the Yankees and the Blue Jays, their tie in the American League East favors the Canadian organization, which won the head-to-head matchup with eight wins and five losses.
This means that, in the remaining four games, the New Yorkers have to win at least one more than Toronto to guarantee the circuit’s reign. It is not, in principle, an impossible mission for Aaron Boone’s boys, who finish the season at Yankee Stadium, while the Blue Jays play at Rogers Centre.
The Yankees will close their series against the Chicago White Sox, the worst team in the American League in 2025, on Thursday, and the New Yorkers have won five of the six games they have played this season. Left-hander Carlos Rodon will be tasked with starting against his former team and bringing the Bombers a little closer to their goal.
In the season-ending clashes, the Yankees will host the Orioles, who are bottom of the division. Cam Schlittler and Luis Gil are projected as starters for the last two games, while Saturday’s starter is yet to be determined. Baltimore has lost six of the 10 meetings against Aaron Boone’s boys in 2025.
Toronto, meanwhile, must finish their game against Boston on Thursday, against whom they have suffered two straight defeats. The next test will be against Tampa, one of their biggest nemesis so far this season
The Rays have won seven of 10 against the Blue Jays this year, with 51 runs scored and only 26 allowed. Changing this script will be the priority of the Canadian franchise, for whom it would be very cruel to lose the division and have to face the wild cards after leading their group since July 3.
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