Yankees clinch playoff spot after 2-year gap

He won his first three starts with the Red Sox, and on Thursday, he was trying to keep Boston’s aspirations of finishing an otherwise disappointing year with a winning record. Pineda bent over at the waist and shook his head, moments before the Yankees began to get a reliever loose in the bullpen.

“I will be happy if I get given the chance to come back here, ” said Chen, a client of agent Scott Boras, through a translator.

That total didn’t win the AL East this season, but very few – if any – outside the Yankees’ clubhouse probably entertained the notion that another division title was possible back in April.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Tampa hoping to play spoilers in its final series blew a lead and lost to Toronto, which is battling Kansas City for home-field advantage in the postseason.

New York’s magic number to clinch that home-field edge was one when Friday’s game was postponed around 4 p.m., meaning either a Yankees win or a loss from the Astros will do the trick.

Padres 3, Brewers 1: Ian Kennedy struck out 11 in what was likely his final start with San Diego, and Yangervis Solarte hit a two-run homer for the Padres. But also one that now leaves them up against it in Cleveland.

While pitching through strong rain at times, Sabathia allowed one run and six hits in his fifth start since returning from a right knee problem. “Having said that, he has pitched real tough against us“.

“You’re in the dance, anything can happen”. I like our confidence. “We’ll put the roster together when we need to”. Incredibly grateful for the 24 years I’ve been one of the NYY voices. We had a lot of challenges that we had to overcome. The Yankees were 81-0 when leading after eight innings; they ranked third in the majors with a relief WAR of 5.4 wins better than replacement level. He was the first to say that when the postseason clincher came, well the Yankees had to pop the bubbly. With the first wild card game on October 6th the Yankees seem to want to hand the ball off to their Japanese Ace Masahiro Tanaka.

It took four tries, but the Yankees finally broke through and beat the Red Sox Thursday night to punch their ticket to the postseason – an accomplishment met with minimal fanfare in a Yankee Stadium that had been abandoned in favor of the warmer comforts of home. “The thing about it is great players retire and think about it in a sense, you have to move on”.

“We’ll never forget what Derek [Jeter] did for this organization”, Girardi explained to the press after the game about the team transitioning in 2015 after the shortstop’s retirement. Yogi (Berra) retired, Mickey Mantle retired, Joe D, retired. That meant the Yankees had to play a double-header against the Orioles Saturday.

How far will the Yankees go? That is, not being as bad at the plate as he was the past six weeks in this comeback season.

A September call-up who has been used primarily as a pinch runner with New York, Noel was on deck Sept. 2 when Girardi sent up Jose Pirela to pinch hit for him.

The Baltimore Orioles are playing for pride with just three games remaining in the season.