Yankees bullpen is the final “nail in the coffin” for the AL East

The terrific trio of Dellin Betances, David Robertson and Aroldis Chapman, bolstered by Chad Green and Tommy Kahnle will seal the AL East Title for the Yankees.

The 2017 Yankees had the third-best ERA and the lowest opponents BA (.204) in the American League, in addition to the best WAR (9.2) and strikeout rate (29.1 %) in all of baseball.

There is no strategy, no rabbit out of a hat, or any other magic to counter the fantastic bullpen that the Yanks have assembled.

When the sixth-inning arrives, if necessary, the Yankees have a multitude of “lockdown” weapons.

Here are seven of the electric bullpen arms and their 2017 stats:

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• Tommy Kahnle: 100 mph fastball, 2.70 ERA, opp. avg (.248)
• Adam Warren:  96 mph fastball, 2.35 ERA, opp. avg (.173), WHIP 0.87
• Chad Green: 97 mph fastball, 1.61 ERA, opp, avg (1.47), WHIP 0.74
• Chasen Shreve: vs. LH hitters — 2.60 ERA, opp. avg. against (.164), WHIP 0.92
• Dellin Betances: 98-100 mph fastball, 2.87 ERA, opp. avg. (.141), 1.66 SO per inning
• David Robertson: with Yankees — 1.03 ERA, 51 strikeouts, opp .avg (1.19), 0.74 WHIP
• Aroldis Chapman: 100-105 mph fastball, 22 saves, 3.22 ERA, opp .avg ( .200)

Much like in ’17, this year’s bullpen, with Robertson, Kahnle and Warren all for a full season, will be basically “lights out” for each and every opposing club.

Former Red Sox slugger Davis Ortiz, reluctantly admits the Yankees are the team to beat

On Friday, ‘YGY’ site-expert Mike Calendrillo penned his latest article: “Yankees win AL East? Retired slugger David Ortiz thinks so.” In it, he couldn’t stop shaking his head in disbelief when David Ortiz dubbed his former team the Red Sox, as underdogs heading into 2018. Calendrillo writes:

"“I’m not sure how a club with the highest payroll in all of baseball at almost $236 million can be considered as such — especially when they employ one of, if not the best pitchers in the entire game in Chris Sale.”"

Next: Damon Oppenheimer deserves more credit

Well, Mike, the Red Sox cannot. And no, they won’t win a third-straight division title.

The Yanks, with their “Magnificent Seven” and super bullpen, have too many wins ready to “nail down.” Included is the first of new manager Aaron Boone’s many AL East Division titles and most likely a visit to the World Series come October.