Yes, the calendar reads "July 21," but for the New York Yankees this could be the most critical week of the season when the Bronx Bombers head back up to Toronto to face the Blue Jays for three games beginning on Monday.
The last time the Yanks were up north three weeks ago, the Jays swept the Yankees four straight, rubbing their faces in it with each defeat as the standings in the AL East totally flipped.
Suddenly the Yankees, who had been cruising along atop the division for three months found themselves trailing the Blue Jays.
When the two teams meet again, the Jays will hold a three-game lead for first. If the Yankees sweep the Jays, both teams will be once again tied atop the division.
If the Jays take two of three, their lead in the division will be four games.
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| George Springer has owned the Yanks. Getty Images. |
"We got to focus on the present and do what we can do right now, and take care of business," slugger Aaron Judge said after the Yankees 4-2 win over Atlanta on Sunday.
Make no mistake the Yankees know what is at stake in this series. The Jays have the pitching advantage going in, at least on paper, as they will throw Kyle Gausman, and former Mets Max Scherzer and Chris Bassit. All three pitchers pitched well enough to beat the Yankees three weeks ago. In fact Bassit is 7-0 at home with a 2.53 ERA.
In the series in Atlanta, the Yankees, as a team, hit much better than they had in the weeks leading up to the All-Star break. New York hit .264 with five homers and 19 RBI vs. Atlanta. Anthony Volpe, who has drawn the ire of Yankees fans for his poor stats at the plate, hit .273 with a pair of bombs vs. the Braves.
While the Yankee offense should do some damage this week, the pitching is another question. The Yankees staff ERA against Toronto is 6.10, by far the worst against any American League team the Yankees have faced this year.
If the Yankees are going to stun the folks up North, they have to slow down center fielder George Springer, who has owned them this year.
In seven games against the Yankees, Springer is hitting .440 with four homers and 11 RBI. Only Addison Barager has been more impressive for Toronto in games against the Yankees, hitting .526 with a pair of homers and eight RBI against New York.
This is a golden opportunity for New York. After this series concludes Wednesday, the Yankees and Jays won't see each other again until a three-game set at Yankee Stadium in early September. So to win the East, this week will go a long way in doing so.
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