As Aaron Boone ready for the potential chaos that Recreation 162 might unleash on his membership and Main League Baseball, the supervisor appeared calm and picked up whereas he spoke to reporters earlier than the common season finale.
The Yankees entered Sunday in quest of two outcomes: a win over the Orioles and a Blue Jays loss to the Rays. That mixture would have secured the American League East for the Bombers, given them a first-round bye within the postseason, and locked them in because the No. 1 seed within the American League.
“It’ll be an exciting day,” Boone stated beforehand. “There’s clearly a number of issues to type out. However on the threat of sounding boring, it’s ‘we’re making an attempt to win right now,’ and that’s type of how we take a look at it.
“We’ll be paying attention to what’s going on around the league, but obviously, those things are out of our control.”
These final phrases rang true, because the pinstripers might solely take a look at Yankee Stadium’s out-of-town scoreboard with a way of helplessness because the Jays beat the Rays, 13-4, incomes all that the Yankees had strived for. Toronto’s Alejandro Kirk, often known as a Yankee killer, helped make that occur, as he hit a grand slam and a two-run homer on Sunday.
The Yankees received their very own sport, 3-2, thanks partially to 2 solo homers from Ben Rice. The victory ended their common season with a season-high eight-game successful streak and a 94-68 document, the identical as final 12 months’s membership, which made it to however misplaced the World Sequence.
Regardless of the triumphant end, the Yankees will nonetheless start their postseason at house towards the Pink Sox within the Wild Card spherical on Tuesday.
“A little bit,” Rice stated when requested if lacking out on an AL East title felt bittersweet. “Obviously, it was a good way to close out the year with all those wins. Fell short of the goal to win the division, but now we’re just on to the postseason and focused on the series.”
Whereas this was hardly an unsuccessful common season — the Yankees are nonetheless within the playoffs, in any case — it’s onerous to not see the ultimate standings and suppose that the group was able to extra.
The group led the AL East by seven video games on Could 28, however an ensuing summer season swoon — which has turn into an annual prevalence beneath Boone — helped the Jays take management of the division in early July. Toronto held the tiebreaker over New York due to an 8-5 document in head-to-head play, and the Yankees barely completed above .500 towards the AL East.
A number of different misplaced collection — together with ones towards the Marlins and Angels — and a number of other bullpen implosions additionally harm the Yankees’ document.
“I try not to,” Aaron Choose, recent off his first batting title, stated of harping on these missed alternatives. “There’s nothing we can do about it now besides turn the page and get locked in on October.”
On the flip aspect, the Yankees suffered some robust breaks, as Gerrit Cole was misplaced to Tommy John surgical procedure in spring coaching. Clarke Schmidt adopted midseason, and Luis Gil, who allowed two solo homers over 5 innings on Sunday, was restricted to 11 begins due to a lat damage. Giancarlo Stanton missed two months with tennis elbows, and accidents ravaged the bullpen because it struggled.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. spent a month on the injured checklist earlier than the swoon, whereas Choose missed 10 video games with a proper flexor pressure. His arm energy can be one thing to look at within the playoffs.
Unable to vary the previous, the Yankees are lucky to have discovered their groove on the proper time, as they went a significant league-best 34-14 over their final 48 video games.
“A month and a half ago, we were teetering on, when it wasn’t going great, even being out of the [playoff] picture a little bit,” Boone stated. “So to right the ship and then really solidify our position and then have a real shot at the East here all the way to the last day, hopefully it’s something that serves us well, has kept us sharp, has kept us really locked in. I think that’s a good thing.”
Whereas Sunday didn’t go the best way the Yankees wished, generally a scorching hand is all it’s essential to win in October. It’s not like they’re quick on expertise, both.
“I feel as good about this team as I have any team that I’ve had here at this point in the season, so there’s some comfort in that,” Boone stated.
When requested why he felt that method, he had a number of causes able to go.
“This is probably the healthiest we’ve been, probably the most balanced we’ve been,” Boone stated, including that he appreciated the progress his pen has made just lately. “Obviously, last year we got to the World Series and had a really, really good club, but we were still a little short or flawed in certain areas. This team can beat you in a lot of different ways.”
That stated, the Yankees may have their work lower out for them towards the rival Pink Sox.
Whereas New York received its final collection towards Boston earlier this month, the Sox are 9-4 towards the Yanks this season. They’ll even have Garrett Crochet pitching reverse of fellow left-handed ace Max Fried in Recreation 1.
Boone referred to as Crochet “one of the game’s best,” however he’s hoping the Yankees’ familiarity with the southpaw “serves us well.” Crochet has a 3.29 ERA over 4 begins towards the Yankees this season, totaling 10 earned runs, 4 walks and 39 strikeouts over 27.1 innings.
“He can run it up to 100 miles an hour,” stated Choose, who’s 2-for-13 with two homers towards Crochet this season. “Works all of his pitches in the zone when he needs to. He’s a tough matchup. It’s probably why he’s, if not one of the best, the best pitcher in the game right now and probably on his way to a Cy Young. It’s impressive what he’s done so far this year, and I’m looking forward to facing him.”
All eyes can be on Choose all through the Yankees’ playoff run, nonetheless lengthy it could final, as he’s trying to enhance on a .205 profession postseason common. He has eight homers over his final 31 playoff video games, but additionally a .160 common and a .648 OPS.
With an opportunity to spice up these numbers, the captain is just trying ahead to the ambiance that may accompany a brand new chapter in baseball’s oldest rivalry for now.
“We got a rowdy crowd out there, a rowdy group that’s been there behind us all year long, even in our tough times in the summer,” Choose stated. “They’re definitely going to be excited for a Yankees-Red Sox postseason matchup, that’s for sure. So I’m expecting the stadium to be loud here on Tuesday.”
Initially Revealed: September 28, 2025 at 6:16 PM EDT
