Yankees Down Stros, Jays Next

Is it time for Yankees fans to stop panicking and start thinking about what could be?

The Yankees took out the Houston Astros 8-4 on Thursday night, winning two-of-three down in H-Town, and now head home to Yankee Stadium to face the Toronto Blue Jays for a HUGE three-game series. Only three games separate the Yanks and Jays in the A.L. East standings.

A few weeks ago it looked like the Yankees could fall out of the playoff race. Now they are almost assurdly going to make it. The only question at this point is seeding. Will the Yankees be the top wild card? Or will they have to hit the road to Boston or Seattle? Or, can the Yankees catch the Jays and take a mid-week series off til the Division Series?

For a team that relies so heavily on the long-ball, and on Aaron Judge (those two things usually go hand in hand), didn't need Judge on Thursday. He went 0-for-2 with three walks. Instead Ryan McMahon's huge night, and Trent Grishom's three-run bomb late proved to be the difference.

McMahon got the party started with an RBI single in the second, scoring Austin Wells. McMahon later homered in the fifth inning to give the Yankees a 2-1 lead. His infield single in the seventh helped pad the Yankees lead at 5-3.

In the three games, McMahon hit .556 with a homer and four RBI.

Grishom hit .308 with two homers and 7 RBI in the series.

Even Austin Wells, who has been scuffling most of the second half of the year, hit an even .400 against the Astros this week.

Now comes the challenge of facing the Blue Jays, which they will do this weekend in the Bronx. Like the Red Sox, the Jays have owned the Yankees this year; Toronto is 7-3 against the Yankees this season. The only time these two rivals met in the Bronx, back in April, New York did win two of three. They were different teams back then.

If the Yankees win two of three, they will cut Toronto's lead down to at bear-minimum, two games. If they sweep the Jays, we could be tied going into next Monday.

This is gonna be huge!

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