A Yankees fan's rooting guide for stretch run as AL Wild Card standings get tighter

The New York Yankees will most likely first face off against the Boston Red Sox in the Wild Card Series this postseason. This is something that every Yankees fan (and Cam Schlittler) are already mentally preparing for. With the Tampa Bay Rays using their typical black magic to become one of the best teams in baseball yet again, this postseason has the potential to be an absolute bloodbath. So who should you be rooting for to give the Yankees the best path to the World Series?  

If you’re the most diehard of all Yankees fans and would never be caught rooting for another team, then maybe this guide isn’t for you. With your mindset, the Yankees just have to beat any team put in front of them. Whoever the opponent is, the Yankees should be good enough to dispose of them in a series. And that is a good mindset to have. 

However, the American League is a deadly minefield in 2026. While parity has leveled the playing field and given each team a chance to win, there are certainly matchups that would benefit the Yankees the most. As we saw last year, getting past the Red Sox wasn’t enough for the Yankees to put all of their AL East rivals in their rearview mirror. The 2025 Toronto Blue Jays made quick work of the Bronx Bombers on their way to nearly winning the World Series.  

While the Jays aren’t quite the same type of team this season, they’re not one to underestimate. In fact, the entirety of the AL East cannot be underestimated. Only four teams in the AL have a winning percentage above .600 since July 27 — and they're all in the AL East.

Anything can happen whenever you put heated rivals on the same field. But it’s an entirely different beast when those rivals come from the AL East. For the level-headed Yankees fan, seeing the least amount of AL East teams in the postseason is the best way to reduce playoff anxiety. That means pulling for teams like the Cleveland Guardians and Texas Rangers over the next two weeks to take the third Wild Card spot. 

If the Yankees want that World Series ring, they will have to earn it

How can the Yankees avoid playing their fiercest rivals this postseason? As it stands now, the easiest path to the AL Championship Series for the Yankees would be for them to take care of their own business over the next two weeks and win the AL East. With a four-game set against the Rays coming up, they could potentially control their own destiny. With the division crown, the Yankees could avoid playing the Red Sox in the Wild Card Series and set their starting rotation up for a deep postseason run. 

If the Yankees remain one of the top two Wild Card teams, they set up the chance to play all three of their division rivals in consecutive series. That would essentially be the gauntlet to top all gauntlets. Not only are the Red Sox, Rays, and Jays very good ball clubs, each of them know each other extensively. There are no blind spots or unknown players. There is nowhere to hide.  

MLB schedule for potential American League playoff teams over the next week (9/14 - 9/20)

That’s not saying that the Chicago White Sox, Guardians, and Rangers are slouches. They are simply better matchups for the Yankees. If you took a gander at the playoff picture in the AL, you’d see that one half of the bracket is a much easier path. From less-experienced players to weaker overall rosters, each team would be an underdog against the Yankees. You could almost make the argument that the Yankees would have been better suited to tank in September and earn the third Wild Card spot.

There is one non-divisional opponent that would give the Yankees a headache, though. As of Sept. 13, the Houston Astros have taken a one-game lead over the Rangers in the AL West, giving them the No. 3 seed. As it stands now, the winner of that division would be the only team punching their ticket to the postseason, playing the third Wild Card team in a series. While beating the Astros in a potential postseason matchup would be extremely cathartic for the entire Yankees fanbase, it would feel even better for fans to see them miss the playoffs altogether.

Three teams are currently separated by just two games for that last Wild Card spot. Despite not being the same team from 2025, the Blue Jays could become a major thorn in the Yankees’ side once again if they clinch. You don’t have to run out and buy a Guardians cap, but it wouldn’t hurt to root for them just a little bit.

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