The New York Yankees took both ends of a doubleheader on Thursday against the Detroit Tigers, and the Tampa Bay Rays lost their second in a row to the Rangers. Thursday dropped the magic number from eight games to five games to clinch the AL East, meaning the Yankees can clinch this weekend against the Blue Jays.
To clinch before heading back to New York, the Yankees either have to win two of three and have Tampa get swept, or the Yankees sweep and the Rays lose two of three.
Tampa Bay will be taking on the Angels in Anaheim this weekend.
A sweep for the Yankees this weekend will make them the first team to 100 wins. They currently have the best record in baseball by two games over the Astros and Dodgers.
This weekend for the Yankees, Masahiro Tanaka will open the series north of the border against lefty Anthony Kay. James Paxton will take on Jacob Waguespack on Saturday, while Jordan Montgomery will make his season debut on Sunday. This will be his first start since early 2018 when he was sidelined with Tommy John surgery.
And once the team returns home, they should also have Luis Severino, Dellin Betances, and Giancarlo Stanton ready to go.
Things are starting to get super real for the New York Yankees. On the brink of 100 wins and clinching the AL East for the first time since 2012 when the team went on to be swept in the ALCS by Detroit after Derek Jeter’s devastating injury in game one.
Hopefully, the Yankees won’t have those playoff tragedies this year and they can bring back their first ring in a decade.