Yankees are in danger of losing Wild Card home-field advantage

The Yankees are letting the Wild Card lead slip between their fingers with just 16 games to go. Can they right the ship and clinch home-field advantage for the one crucial game that defines all 162?

The Yankees look lost in recent games. They have made a 180 from the first half of the season. After going 62 and 33 before the Midsummer Classic, they have 28 wins and 23 losses during the second half.

The bats have gone to sleep (821 hits pre-All-Star break and 412 hits post-All-Star break), and it doesn’t help that Aaron Judge is still on the disabled list after being plunked on July 26. Giancarlo Stanton, especially, has been ice cold in the last 30 days, batting just .212 with five home runs and 12 RBIs.

As a huge Yankees fan, this inconsistent play frustrates me because I know the team is capable of playing much better baseball.

Luis Severino looks like a completely different pitcher since mid-July, and not in a good way. Though he allowed just four hits and one earned run in 5.2 innings on Wednesday night (in a losing effort), he’s gone from a CY Young candidate with a 2.31 ERA to a less effective, mediocre pitcher with a 6.35 ERA during the second half.

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The Red Sox (100-46) are going be the AL East Division Champs — no denial there. So the Yanks’ priority is securing home field for the Wild Card game.

The Yankees (90-56) have 16 games left, with nine of them being at home. Their remaining games are:

• Three games vs. the Blue Jays (65-80).
• Six vs. the Red Sox (100-46).
• Four vs. the Rays (80-65).
• Three vs. the Orioles (41-104)

The Athletics’ (89-57) have 16 games left — six at home.

• Two games vs. the rebuilding Orioles.
• Three vs. the Rays.
• Six vs. the Angels (73-73).
• Three vs. the Twins (67-78).
• Three vs. the Mariners (79-66).

The Astros’ (92-54) have 16 games left — nine home games.

• One game vs. the Tigers (59-87).
• Three vs. the Diamondbacks (77-69).
• Three vs. the Mariners.
• Three vs. the Angels.
• Three vs. the Blue Jays.
• Four vs. the Orioles.

Depending on how these contests go, the Bombers will either play the Athletics or Astros in a one-game Wild Card. Hopefully, the Yankees clinch home-field advantage as that will aid the club in potentially moving on to the ALDS.