Yankees vs Astros: That’s just the way baseball is sometimes

Yankees fans know that baseball is a funny game. Sometimes you play well against the best teams in the league, other times you play terrible against basement dwellers.

Prior to Tuesday night’s loss, the Yankees had won six games in a row. This stretch included an 18inning marathon against the Cubs that ended in victory after about six and a half hours. Then the Bombers rolled into Cincinnati and ran right over the Reds.

Despite losing the following night to Cincinnati, 5-3, the Bombers would most likely start a new winning streak right away. After all, they were back home and mowed down opponents with ease. A week ago they were the hottest team in baseball. Now, after winning six in a row, the Yankees are now losers of three in a row.

So what happened? Well, the Houston Astros came to visit, and Dallas Keuchel showed us why the Bombers lost the wild card game in 2015. Just like Keuchel had tempered the Yankees bats two years ago, he once again kept them off balance. Oddly enough, this is a much different Yankee lineup.

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Not to be outdone, Lance McCullers, Jr mowed the Yankees down Friday night as well. The team will most likely pick themselves up. There is a lot of talent and they’re off to a fast start.

But you do have to worry that if the Bombers do make the playoffs, they may run into the wood chipper that is the Astros pitching staff.

That’s just the way things go in baseball. There are certain teams that you just can’t beat. In the early 2000’s, the Yankees dreaded having to play the Anaheim Angels in the postseason.

Back in the late 90’s, the Mets just couldn’t seem to get past the Atlanta Braves in the playoffs. They did put up a good fight though, and this is coming from someone who doesn’t like the Mets, to put it mildly.

At this point, the Houston Astros seem to have the Yankees number. What can be done about it? For starters, they shouldn’t let the frustration linger. Baseball is a long season, and luckily the two teams don’t play each very often. But it’s easy to see that some players are pressing during the past few games.

Yankees & Astros meet now, but the real collision is at the deadline

The Yankees and Astros will tangle in a four-game set at the Stadium. But the real collision between the teams will come at the trade deadline.

Baseball is a funny game. Sometimes you play well against the best teams in the league, other times you play terrible against basement dwellers. Baseball is also very long, with a regular season of 162 games. Three games in May is no concern, not at all. The games in the future against the Astros are not much a concern either. By that time, perhaps the Bombers figure them out. That’s just the way baseball is.