The New York Yankees lost to the Mets on Sunday in a thriller that nearly resulted in a brawl between the two teams. The Yankees called upon Clarke Schmidt to start the game with multiple pitchers struggling to stay healthy as the end of the season nears.
After the Yankees posted two runs in the top of the first inning, Schmidt proceeded to give up three runs over the next two innings, thanks to a Francisco Lindor three-run homer in a second. Lindor hit three homers on the evening, taunting the Yankees as he rounded the bases, which sparked a reaction from Stanton, as he launched a 443-foot blast in the seventh inning, giving Lindor some of his own medicine as he rounded second base.
Both teams proceeded to charge the field, but luckily there were no significant extracurricular activities. I don’t think Lindor wants to take on Stanton in a 1V1 fight.
However, the Yankees cannot be dropping games at this point, as they currently sit in fourth place in the American League standings and are one game out of the Wild Card, with the Toronto Blue Jays taking the top spot.
Good news and bad news for the Yankees:
There is a bit of good news for the Yankees, who posted six runs and showed some of their offensive firepower in the loss. They will take on a struggling Minnesota Twins team in a one-game series due to a make-up game from August 22. After Minnesota, the Yankees have a much-needed three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles and three-game series against the Cleveland Indians, two teams who they are capable of sweeping and getting themselves back in the win column.
The schedule set itself up nicely for a winning streak, but given how the Yankees are performing lately, we shouldn’t assume anything. Toronto, on the other hand, will take on the Tampa Bay Rays six times over the next nine games, offering the Yankees a great opportunity to retake the top spot in the WC. On the other hand, the Red Sox will travel to Seattle, another team that has had a solid season with a 76-66 record.
Given how Toronto is playing right now, the Yankees’ best bet is to overcome Boston in the Wild Card, but they still need to prove consistency in their starting rotation.
The Bombers with feature Luis Gil on the mound against Minnesota, and after his first tough outing of the season against Toronto, he will be looking to rebound in a positive fashion.