The New York Yankees have built a four-game lead over the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East division. Considering how things were in June and July, when the Bombers were in the middle of their worst stretch of the season, a four-game cushion feels like heaven, especially with just 11 to play.
The Yankees can clinch a playoff spot on Wednesday
Right now, the priority is to make the Yankees’ presence in the playoffs official. They can do that as soon as Wednesday, if they win the second game of the series against the Seattle Mariners.
The Yankees already won the opener 11-2 on Tuesday night at T-Mobile Park, and with the offense, rotation, and bullpen clicking, they will rely on left-hander Nestor Cortes to take the victory on Wednesday.
The Yanks don’t depend on anybody else but themselves to secure their ticket to October today. If they win, they are in. But how about the AL East?
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The Yankees’ magic number for the AL East is eight
With their current four-game lead, the Yankees’ magic number to win the division crown is eight at the moment. It means they need a combination of eight wins and Orioles losses to take the AL East, which is very plausible. However, there is a caveat; the two squads will play a three-game series at Baltimore from September 24-26.
If the O’s win just one of those games, they will hold the season tiebreaker which means that in the event of a tie in the standings, they would win the division. The yearly matchup is currently 6-4 in their favor.
Thanks to some excellent play against the Boston Red Sox and in the opener against the Mariners, the Yankees are now in an enviable position to not only make the postseason, but also take the AL East. After missing the party in 2023, they have as good of a chance as anybody to take home the World Series.
