CHICAGO — The Yankees usually are not alone.
That could be a supply of each comfort and consternation.
Since holding the majors’ greatest document on June 14 at 50-22, the Yankees have gone 30-38. However throughout that span, the Orioles have solely gone 36-36, that means the Yankees have solely misplaced 4 video games within the AL East standings — going from 3 ½ video games as much as a half-game behind.
So whereas the Yankees stay proper within the thick of issues, they’ve additionally missed a golden probability to separate themselves, now needing to place collectively a powerful run over their remaining 22 video games to have any hope of successful the division.
However because the calendar flipped from August to September, the Yankees have been nonetheless not enjoying their greatest baseball, having misplaced six of their final eight video games getting into Friday’s showdown in opposition to the Cubs at Wrigley Discipline.
“We all know what’s in entrance of us and we gotta go take it,” supervisor Aaron Boone mentioned earlier than the Yankees flew out of Texas late Wednesday evening. “No one’s going to offer it to us, no one’s going to really feel sorry for us.
“I’m positive lots of people on the market are rooting in opposition to us. We gotta have that us-against-the-world [mentality]. Go take this factor, go take this division, go take this playoff alternative. It’s all there for us, we gotta do it.”
The Yankees performed nicely sufficient over the primary two and a half months of the season to offer themselves some cushion after they inevitably cooled off.
And whereas they picked themselves up from their summer season swoon by the top of July, they haven’t precisely taken off since then and are operating out of time to take action.
The Yankees will attempt to get again on observe Friday with the return of Luis Gil, who was activated off the injured checklist Thursday after lacking simply the minimal 15 days with a decrease again pressure.
Clarke Schmidt will make his personal return from the IL on Saturday because the Yankees get nearer to full power, although some issues stay — specifically the again finish of the bullpen, with the membership set to go nearer by matchup in the meanwhile, together with some inconsistent beginning pitching and an absence of constant manufacturing in left area from Alex Verdugo.
“We belief one another right here,” Verdugo mentioned. “We all know how good of a staff we’re. We all know what we will do once we’re all clicking and doing the issues we have to do. Actually, there’s no cause to panic. We’ve been on this tight AL race all yr lengthy. Couple collection, we’re proper there. We’re going to go to Chicago, deal with enterprise over there, proper the ship and simply take it day-to-day.”
Simpler mentioned than achieved.
Friday’s collection opener at Wrigley Discipline — the Yankees’ first go to there since 2017 — marks the start of a 10-day, 10-game stretch in opposition to the Cubs, Royals and Pink Sox.
They’ll then head west for a street journey in opposition to the Mariners and A’s earlier than coming house to face the Orioles — with the division doubtlessly on the road — and Pirates.
The burden of every sport will likely be heavier the nearer the Yankees get to October, however their captain will not be taking that method.
“Every sport means as a lot because it did March 28,” Aaron Choose mentioned. “It’s all the identical. Simply because we have now 22 left doesn’t imply something to us. It’s about what we do that subsequent sport. Give it our all this subsequent sport and preserve transferring ahead.”
If this all feels acquainted, it’s as a result of the Yankees went via an analogous arc in 2022. Their high-water mark that yr got here at 61-23 on July 8. From that time on, they went 38-48, which was nonetheless sufficient to win the AL East at 99-63.
This time round, the Orioles are an even bigger risk than the Blue Jays have been in 2022. However they, too, have struggled to drag away, giving the Yankees an opportunity to nonetheless management their very own future.
“We’ve put ourselves in place to go seize this factor,” Boone mentioned. “But when we wish to seize it, we gotta play our greatest ball, put our greatest foot ahead right here with 22 to go. This staff proper now, that’s all that issues. We gotta get it.”
To make room for Gil being activated, the Yankees optioned Scott Effross to Triple-A. The reliever had come up Sept. 1 and made two appearances — his first two since present process Tommy John surgical procedure in October 2022 and again surgical procedure final December — however evidently the Yankees really feel he wants extra time within the minors to re-establish himself.
