Yankees and Red Sox playoffs: The AL East in shambles

The Yankees are down 1-2 to the Cleveland Indians. The only bright spot is the hope that the baby bombers will learn their lessons better than the Red Sox have.

The Yankees and Red Sox both won on Sunday to force Game 4’s of the ALDS. Eerily, both teams’ situations are somewhat similar.

Let’s start with the Yanks. So often a team’s flaws are magnified during the postseason, their Achilles heal exposed as the race reaches its climax. But the Yankees seem to be suffering more of an ironic fate.

For instance, Joe Girardi spent the 2017 season aggressively and adroitly attacking questionable calls. One of the subtle difference makers this season was overturned calls.

Yet, on Friday, as all the world has seen and written an article about, Girardi quailed at the worst possible time.

If for some odd reason this is the first Yankees recap you have read, Girardi chose not to challenge a key HBP call in the sixth inning that the whole world could see was wrong.

This Ali-quality phantom hit by pitch helped to knock out the Yankees as it opened the door for a grand slam.

While the stakes were not as high, it was akin to watching Grady Little leave Pedro in when his instincts must have been screaming to take him out.

Joe’s contract is up this year, so this major league gaffe could not have come at a worse time for him. Or the team. When even Girardi’s biggest supporters, such as this humble commentator, take to the keyboard to criticize him, even Joe knows he might be done for.