Yankees: 3 things NYY need to prove in huge series vs Toronto
By Adam Weinrib
1. They Can Punch Back
The Yankees have a chance to punk a team that punked them. Perhaps this time it works?
We’ve discussed this at length in recent weeks, and this bullet point boils down to a mentality shift rather than anything tangible, but the Yankees have the chance to build off their recent momentum and prove they can fight back against a likely playoff opponent.
In 2017, the Astros buried them with 24 curveballs in a row in Game 7, just to prove a point.
In 2018, the Red Sox responded to Aaron Judge’s wayward boombox with a 16-1` beatdown and a Brock Holt cycle in the ALDS.
Earlier this season? Michael Brosseau and the Rays proved that they were the AL East team that was allowed to chirp, and not the other way around.
Now, the Yanks have earned a new rival, and another chance to gain a mental edge on a team they’re tussling with. New York is now the squad that’s gaining and hard charging in the standings, and Toronto could be on the defensive, if the Yanks play their cards right.
This is a prime opportunity to prove that the 6-2 bullpen disaster won’t define this season or this rivalry for the next several years. Game on.