The Yankees, led by Judge, snuffed out the Blue Jay's last Ray of hope last night.

Or almost.

Ken Davidoff explains the possibilities.

Here’s what the Yankees need to do over the weekend to 1) clinch a postseason spot and 2) secure home-field advantage for the Oct. 5 wild-card game.

The Easy Way

•  One win assures the Yankees of at least a spot in a Monday tiebreaker and eliminates the Blue Jays.
•  At least two wins gets them the top wild card, meaning they’d host the wild-card game.

The Hard Way

• One win and a loss by either the Red Sox or Mariners assures the Yankees of hosting the wild-card game.
•  If the Yankees get swept by the Rays, they’d host the wild-card game only with the Mariners losing at least one, the Blue Jays losing at least once and the Red Sox losing at least two.
•  If they get swept, they’d secure the second wild card, serving as the road team on Tuesday, with a Mariners sweep, a Blue Jays sweep or the Red Sox winning two.
• 
  
•        Limbo
• •  The Yankees would need to play in a Monday tiebreaker if 1) they win one and the Red Sox and Mariners both sweep; or 2) they get swept, the Red Sox and Mariners each win two and the Blue Jays sweep.
  • 
    
  • Go home
  • •  The Yankees’ season would end Sunday if they get swept and the Red Sox and Mariners both sweep.

Joel Sherman:

... It is feeling like 2016 again when Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman accepted reality and traded their best assets — Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller. It is a reminder that this baseball operations department has been able to transition the team previously. But if the Yanks need more encouragement then they can look to their main rivals to see how you can fall and rise quickly — especially if you carry large payrolls like these Northeastern behemoths. Remaking yourself might hurt in the moment. But not quite as much as locking yourself into a philosophy and a roster and deciding that you are going to make it work no matter how blatant it becomes that this version of card counting is not working.

Which is why the Yankees have to be thinking about a makeover and that includes being open to trading anyone, including Aaron Judge. Before any gasps, explain to me, why Judge would be any more unmovable to the Yankees than Mookie Betts was to the Red Sox?

... Judge is not the Yankees’ problem. But Gleyber Torres has lost value. Gary Sanchez has not regained enough to get much back in a trade. The Yanks missed their best window with Miguel Andujar, Clint Frazier and Luke Voit. Want to try to see if the Nationals and Mets will bid for Gio Urshela? Want to show bad faith by trading LeMahieu so soon after signing him to a six-year contract?

https://nypost.com/2021/06/28/why-yankees-should-be-open-to-trading-aaron-judge-sherman/

And they look terrible doing it.

This may be one of those times where having a cheerleader as manager isn't all that useful. 

Can you imagine what George would say to Boone's "I know how hard these guys work, I know their potential" repetitions?

A little less mighty after the Red Sox series.

Ken Davidson in the Post:

Remember the disappointment you felt during last year’s COVID-shortened schedule when the Yankees wound up 33-27, giving them a lousy draw in the expanded postseason? Well, now they’re 31-29, and if this season had ended today, with the more traditional 10-team field, Aaron Boone and company would be headed home for the winter.

https://nypost.com/2021/06/07/yankees-are-in-seriously-hot-water-after-loss-to-red-sox/

With a walk-off walk, the mighty Yankees sweep the White Sox, who were mightier than the Yankees three games ago.

Good one from Don Drooker (rotisserieduck) this morning.

Two boys are playing hockey on the Boston Common pond when one is attacked by a vicious rottweiler. Thinking quickly, the other boy takes his hockey stick and scares the dog off, stopping the attack. A reporter who is strolling by sees the incident and rushes over to interview the boy.

"Young Bruins fan saves friend from vicious animal..." he starts writing in his notebook.

"But I'm not a Bruins fan," the little boy replies.

"Sorry. Since we're in Boston, I just assumed you were," says the reporter and starts again. "Red Sox fan rescues friend from horrific attack...” he continues writing in his notebook.

"I'm not a Red Sox fan either!" the boy says.

"So, what team do you root for?" the reporter asks.

"I'm a Yankees fan!" the child beams.

The reporter starts a new sheet in his notebook and writes: "Little brat from New York kills beloved family pet."

He went nuts last night.

Judge = peanut brittle. Minus the peanuts.