Yankees Magic Number: 2026 playoff clinch is all but official but Rays' devil magic ensues

The Yankees have had their well-documented problems with the Mets in the Subway Series dating back to 2019, but they got the last word in for 2026. They might've split the season set, but the Bombers took this weekend's series in the Bronx and are on the verge of clinching a playoff spot.

After Sunday's 2-0 nail-biter that featured a Cam Schlittler gem, homers from Ben Rice and Austin Wells, and a save from David Bednar, the Yankees improved to 86-63 and are one win away from punching their ticket to the postseason.

Yes, heading into Monday night's matchup against the Minnesota Twins, the Yankees' magic number is one. Will Warren vs former division rival Dean Kremer. The Yankees will be popping champagne on the road since that lone win is likely to come over the next week against the Twins or Diamondbacks.

Yankees Magic Number is one but the Rays are the absolute worst

While that's all fun and good, the Yankees' path to an AL East title is getting less and less likely by the day. The Tampa Bay Rays simply do not lose. In years past we would criticize New York for not taking advantage of lesser teams or stepping on the throats of their rivals, but 2026 is not that.

Tampa swept the Houston Astros over the weekend as soon-to-be AL MVP Yordan Álvarez did not play in a single full game. He missed Friday and Saturday with ankle soreness and was then removed early in Sunday's 14-4 blowout. Before this weekend, Alvarez missed just two games ALL YEAR.

New York remains four back of the Rays about a week out before the two teams meet for a four-game set. At this point, there's no sense in analyzing the schedule. Whenever there's a clear advantage for the Yankees to make a move, the Rays do the unthinkable, like sweep the Padres because an outfielder drops a ball over the wall for a home run. We thought this past week was an advantageous lane, as the Yankees had the Rockies and Mets while the Rays had the Braves and Astros. Both teams went 5-1. New York didn't lose any ground, but with days getting deleted off the calendar, they need this deficit down to, at worst, three games before Tampa comes to town next Tuesday.

The likelihood is that we're staring at a Wild Card series with the Boston Red Sox to kick off the postseason. At the very least, the Yankees can line up their pitchers appropriately to send their division rivals packing for the second year in a row as we hope for the Rays to stumble ONCE in their final series against the A's, Sox and Phillies.

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