Yankees: 3 series that will determine NYY’s playoff fate

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 11: Teoscar Hernandez #37 of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates in the dugout after hitting a grand slam against the Los Angeles Angels during the fifth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on August 11, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 11: Teoscar Hernandez #37 of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates in the dugout after hitting a grand slam against the Los Angeles Angels during the fifth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on August 11, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
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OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 14: Sean Murphy #12 of the Oakland Athletics rounds the base s against the Los Angeles Angels at RingCentral Coliseum on June 14, 2021 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 14: Sean Murphy #12 of the Oakland Athletics rounds the base s against the Los Angeles Angels at RingCentral Coliseum on June 14, 2021 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /

After the nightmare first half all Yankees fans witnessed — as well as a nightmarish second half that the team has been somehow able to shake off thus far — it’s hard to believe we’re still having a postseason discussion.

The Yanks might not be favored to make the dance, but they’re firmly in the mix, an arm’s length away from A’s, Red Sox, and fearsome Blue Jays.

Do you believe in ’em? Our belief goes as far as the power bats of Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Joey Gallo. Can two of the three of them catch fire while we all wait for Anthony Rizzo’s healthy return, Gary Sánchez’s comeback, and Gleyber Torres’ troublesome thumb to heal?

My goodness, this team has been slammed. It’s a wonder they’re still here. They just won two full-on bullpen games, neither by design. Enjoy the journey, we guess.

The Yankees have already battled some fearsome opponents and stretches this season, and luckily, some of their biggest challenges have already been completed. Eight games against the Red Sox in just over a week? Well, it became seven thanks to the rain at Yankee Stadium, but they survived (barely). They don’t have to go back to Tropicana Field in the final two months of the season…at all, which is nice (and ended up winning their final two series there, FWIW).

The nonsense Seattle/Houston swing just before the All-Star Game with a burnt-out bullpen? Took four-of-six, should’ve taken five.

As we see it, the following three series will be the most important ones this team plays for the remainder of the season, and could directly affect their shot at grabbing the last rung of the playoff ladder.

With all due respect to the rest of their opponents, the Yankees will not make the playoffs if they don’t show up in these three key matchups. Luckily, all of them occur slightly down the line, at a point where at least the current batch of COVID IL participants should be activated.

God, what a full-on nightmare this has been. Hey, let’s make the playoffs!

These 3 series will determine the 2021 Yankees’ playoff fate.

1. 4 Games at Oakland, Aug. 26-29

The Yankees never have fun when they travel to the Oakland Coliseum, and wackiness typically follows against an A’s team that loves to take their shots at the big guns.

Of course, this year it’s the Yankees attempting to come from behind and catch the Swingin’ A’s. Slightly different mentality, but Oakland will surely be motivated to protect what’s theirs and catch the jetlagged Yanks (coming off an off day, luckily) at an opportune time.

Remember the dropped Starlin Castro popup game back in 2017, though? Remember the series at the end of 2018 where Luis Severino couldn’t find the plate? This time around, the Yanks can’t afford any of those shenanigans, assuming they’re still an inch or two behind the A’s in the Wild Card standings when they clash.

West coast road sets are always a complete slog. Mix in the fact that this is a four-gamer with direct playoff implications, and you’ve got yourself something worth staying up for (or rage-sleeping through).

The one sliver of good news? Only two late night games; Thursday and Friday at 9:40 EST, Saturday will begin in the late afternoon at 4:07, and Sunday was just moved to ESPN for Sunday Night Baseball. Normal ol’ 7:00 PM EST start, nasty west coast shadows. Game on.

TORONTO, ON – AUGUST 08: George Springer #4 of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates his 3-run game winning home run during the eighth inning during a MLB game against the Boston Red Sox at Rogers Centre on August 08, 2021 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – AUGUST 08: George Springer #4 of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates his 3-run game winning home run during the eighth inning during a MLB game against the Boston Red Sox at Rogers Centre on August 08, 2021 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /

2. 4 Games at Home Against Toronto, Sept. 6-9

The Yankees have already cleared a good portion of their games against the Blue Jays this season, with a sweep in Buffalo bringing them to 6-6 against their rivals to the north entering the home stretch.

Nice job shaking off an ugly start, Yanks, but the Jays have likely fought through even more adversity to get to this point, and have been nearly tied with the Bombers for quite a while now.

Bullpen injuries and struggles? Both teams have ’em. Injured superstars? Again, both teams — the Yanks have barely faced George Springer.

But only the Jays have done it with home games in three cities, two of which the Yankees have visited, too. Now that Toronto is back in Toronto, the team seems reenergized, and will be bringing that renewed vigor to the Bronx one more time this season for four games in early September.

Ideally, this will be enough time for all of the Yankees’ cavalry to get back and healthy — yes, even Gleyber Torres — and we can see two full-octane offenses going at it, knowing full well their postseason spots are on the line. If this series gets split, there’ll be very little movement in the larger picture. But if either squad captures three or four, the entire 2021 postseason script could be flipped.

Which leads us to the most important series of all…

TORONTO, ON – AUGUST 04: George Springer #4 of the Toronto Blue Jays and Marcus Semien #10 celebrate Springer’s home run in the first inning of their MLB game against the Cleveland Indians at Rogers Centre on August 4, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – AUGUST 04: George Springer #4 of the Toronto Blue Jays and Marcus Semien #10 celebrate Springer’s home run in the first inning of their MLB game against the Cleveland Indians at Rogers Centre on August 4, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) /

1. 3 Games at Toronto, Sept. 28-30

Yup. For all the marbles, in the final week of the season, the Yankees migrate north past the Canadian border for the first time since 2019. 2019!

New York will have completed an unlikely trifecta of battling the Jays on the road in three different cities this season, a feat they hope to never match. The team dropped two-of-three in Florida, then took over Buffalo after that stadium looked like a house of horrors back in 2020 and may have led (directly or indirectly) to Adam Ottavino’s departure to Boston. Shudder.

This year, the Yankees’ final week includes a day off, a road trip to Boston for three, another breather (in case they get stopped by customs?), three in Toronto, and then three home games against the Tampa Bay Rays. Of course, the Bronx has been a comfortable place for that team over the past two years, too, so this should be nine straight challenges to wrap the regular season.

Toronto, though, is the team with all the momentum in the world right now, and it’s not just the offense. How much have you enjoyed Jameson Taillon’s resurgence, Yankee fans? Well, Robbie Ray is right there with him in many categories. The last time we saw these Birds, they didn’t have Adam Cimber or Brad Hand in the ‘pen.

New York will have to go through the gauntlet to reach October — but that’s only natural, considering how much the AL East has reloaded since 2019. Their final stretch will likely be determinative, but this first road trip to Canada feels like the ultimate challenge, especially considering how hungry those fans have already been and how much they’d like to push their beloved club over the edge.

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