The Yankees may have all but watched the American League East slip away, but the next few days still matter plenty. With the division chase effectively on life support after failing to sweep the Minnesota Twins and dropping a series to the Arizona Diamondbacks, New York is shifting its focus to something much more immediate: getting its rotation lined up and its arms sharp for October.
That starts with the Rays series, where the Yankees are set to run out their four key starters as they try to make sure everyone is right before the Wild Card round against the Red Sox. The math in the division race is ugly. The Yankees sit six games back of first place, and even a sweep of Tampa Bay would only get them to within two - and that still would not be enough unless the Rays also drop a series to the Phillies.
So the bigger concern now is health, rhythm, and timing.
Carlos Rodón has quietly become the Yankees’ most reliable arm behind Cam Schlittler. Given the state of the rotation, there’s at least a case that if Gerrit Cole stumbles again, Rodón could be the guy who gets the ball against Boston, with Cole potentially held back for Game 1 of the ALDS if New York gets there.
Rodón has been the rotation’s best rebound story. Since returning, he has thrown 30 innings with a 2.40 ERA, struck out 31, walked 12, and allowed just four home runs.
He has not given up more than three earned runs in any start this season.
A good outing here would only strengthen the conversation around who should start in the Wild Card series.
Max Fried is in a different spot. Against the Rockies, he looked out of sync, striking out seven but getting pulled in the fourth inning.
He responded against the Twins with one of his better recent starts: seven innings, one run, six strikeouts, and no walks. Now he gets Tampa Bay, which the source describes as clearly the best team in the American League.
It should be a useful test before postseason play opens next week, especially after a start like the one against Colorado raised questions about how deep he can go.
Cole’s issue is more obvious: the ball leaving the yard. His recent starts have been littered with home runs, even though his outing against the Diamondbacks was an improvement, with only Corbin Carroll homering off him.
In the two starts before that, he gave up seven homers. The Yankees need that cleaned up before he sees Boston, a matchup that has been rough on him for a long time.
Cole owns a 5.93 ERA against the Red Sox, who have consistently had his number, Rafael Devers or not.
Thursday, Sep. 24th (7:05 p.m. ET) will feature TBD for Tampa Bay against Cam Schlittler for New York, and the hype around Schlittler is not exactly subtle.
The source calls him the best pitcher on planet Earth and says he’ll win the Cy Young and, at a minimum, finish in the top three in the MVP race. For a player who was never a top prospect and was throwing in the low 90s when he was drafted, that’s a remarkable rise.
This will be Schlittler’s last tuneup before the postseason. The Yankees would love for it not to be his last start against the Rays, either.
In Other News...
Clarke Schmidt Just Hit A Brutal Moment In Yankees October Plans
Clarke Schmidts return to the Yankees was already set up as a relief-driven finish after the club activated him on Sept. 16 following his recovery from a second Tommy John surgery. For a team trying to map out October, having Schmidt available at all gave Aaron Boone another experienced arm to work with, even if the initial plan was for him to fit into the bullpen rather than back into the rotation.
That path hit a snag on Sept. 24, when Schmidt felt cramping in his right biceps during warmups and was unable to pitch in the game. The encouraging part for the Yankees is that tests showed no structural damage, but the moment still adds another layer of uncertainty to a postseason pitching picture that already has Gerrit Cole, Cam Schlittler, and Max Fried lined up as starters, with Schmidt among the relief options alongside Carlos Rodn and Will Warren. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Would Be Taking On More Than Rafael Devers Bat
ESPNs Buster Olney floated Rafael Devers as a possible fit for the Yankees, a notion that immediately carries more baggage than a simple bat-for-lineup conversation. Devers has long been one of the most productive hitters in the division, but his history with the Red Sox has also included positional disputes that shaped how he was viewed in Boston and continue to color any discussion about where he might land next.
For the Yankees, the question is not whether the offense would get a boost, but whether that upgrade would come with the kind of clubhouse fit and willingness to adapt the organization would need. Any serious pursuit would have to account for more than the numbers at the plate, because adding a player of Devers profile would mean bringing in a far bigger story than his bat alone. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Suddenly Have A Playoff Infield Decision Fans Will Debate
Jazz Chisholm Jr.s return from a thumb injury has already pushed the Yankees into a familiar late-season puzzle, and this one is about the infield alignment. Former manager Joe Girardi floated the idea that Chisholm could slide to third base because of his previous experience there, a suggestion that fits with the clubs recent lineup shuffling and the way Aaron Boone has used Jose Caballero and Ryan McMahon as he sorts out the best look.
Boone was more measured when asked about the possibility of moving Anthony Volpe to third, which only adds to the debate over how the Yankees should arrange the left side of the infield if Chisholm is ready to play. Chisholms track record at third gives the concept some real footing, and his offense still matters to a team trying to position itself for October, but the next move could say plenty about how Boone values defense, flexibility and roles in a crowded playoff picture. [Read more 🡒]