After clinching top of the east, Yankees has been named team of the month for september and wishing to remain top of the table for the season ahead….
With the New York Yankees in the field following their victory against the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday, the MLB playoff picture is starting to take shape.
New York joins the Milwaukee Brewers, who secured the National League Central on Wednesday, as the second team to guarantee a postseason spot. Throughout the season, the Baltimore Orioles and the Bronx Bombers have been battling for first place in the AL East. The Cleveland Guardians and those two clubs are still in the running for the AL’s best overall record. The most recent playoff standings and probable pairings as of Wednesday’s games are shown here.
Aaron Judge and Juan Soto are the best offensive duo in the AL. They have combined for 93 homers and 239 RBI. Jazz Chisholm Jr. has provided some much-needed punch in the middle of the order with a .289/.344/.514 slash line in 37 games since being acquired from the Miami Marlins.
New York’s primary competition in the AL could end up being the Kansas City Royals. Their offseason spending to add Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha has paid huge dividends. The Royals rotation leads all of MLB in FanGraphs’ wins above replacement (16.6) and ranks second in ERA (3.56).
If the Royals can avoid a bullpen implosion and Bobby Witt Jr. carries the lineup, they have the makings of a dangerous playoff team. The Orioles are the only AL contender whose offense can match New York, but that unit has struggled since the All-Star break.
Cleveland is an impossible team to figure out because the starting rotation is the worst in the AL, but that’s been offset because the team has the best bullpen in the entire league.
The Yankees have late-game concerns because of their bullpen issues, though manager Aaron Boone has done a good job of being more creative with matchups rather than locking people into set roles.
Clay Holmes is going to be the biggest question mark with an MLB-high 13 blown saves. If his struggles continue, Boone shouldn’t hesitate to find another option for the ninth inning.
Overall, though, it’s hard not to feel good about the Yankees’ chances of getting to the World Series for the first time since 2009. The lineup is terrific, especially at the top, and they will make it difficult on any pitching staff they will see in a short series.
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