NEW YORK--One year ago Tuesday, the New York Yankees were eliminated from the postseason on a dreary day in front of their home fans. Following a one-year absence, the Yankees are returning to the playoffs and get their first chance at clinching a second American League East title in three seasons Tuesday night when they host the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles can clinch the AL's top wild-card spot with a win and a loss by either the Kansas City Royals or Minnesota Twins on Tuesday.
The Yankees (92-64) enter their final homestand with a magic number of one and a season-high six-game lead over the Orioles (86-70), who won the division last season with a 101-61 record while New York finished 82-80. New York has held the division lead since Sept. 7 and for all but four days since Aug. 20. The Yankees are returning home with 12 wins in 16 games since dropping two of three at Texas from Sept. 2-4. "We're focused," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "I think everyone in that room knows what's at stake and what the mission is, where we're at in the calendar and the opportunity in front of us.
I think guys are just ready to do what we've got to do to win ballgames and give ourselves a chance come October." New York is attempting to clinch after going 5-1 on a six-game trip against the Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics. The Yankees clinched a playoff spot for the seventh time in eight seasons on Wednesday and scored 17 runs in their last two games of a three-game sweep at Oakland. Aaron Judge hit his major league-leading 55th homer in Sunday's 7-4 win and is hitting .349 (15-for-43) over his past 13 games. Jasson Dominguez and Gleyber Torres also homered for the Yankees, who hold a 2 1/2-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians for the AL's top record. "It's going to be rocking," Judge said. "It's been rocking all summer long, and I don't expect that to change, especially with what we have coming down to the wire here." On the verge of a playoff berth, the O's certainly had higher aspirations earlier this season. Baltimore held or was tied for the AL East lead from June 27-Aug. 12 and held the lead earlier this month, including after a 2-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sept. 6.
Since then, the Orioles are 4-10 and have been held to three runs or fewer nine times, including Sunday when they were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and struck out 10 times in a 4-3 loss to the visiting Detroit Tigers. While Gunnar Henderson is hitting .308 in his past six games, Anthony Santander is hitting .173 in his past 14 games and Adley Rutschman is hitting .190 in his past six contests. "We just have to focus on what is going on in here, in this clubhouse," said Baltimore All-Star infielder Jordan Westburg after returning from a fractured right hand on Sunday. "And nothing about what is going outside, what people are saying. What could or couldn't happen. We just have to stay tight in here."
Clarke Schmidt (5-4, 2.37 ERA) will make his fourth start since missing over three months with a lat strain. He took the loss Thursday in Seattle when he allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits in five innings. Schmidt is 3-3 with a 3.86 ERA in 10 career outings (five starts) against the Orioles and held them to one run in 5 2/3 innings April 29 at Baltimore. Dean Kremer (7-10, 4.19) starts for the Orioles after allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits in six innings of a 5-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday. Kremer is 3-3 with a 4.63 ERA in 11 career starts against the Yankees.
