The MLB postseason wastes no time, and Monday’s American League schedule could leave two heavyweights hanging by a thread.
The Yankees and Guardians both walked into the AL Division Series with home-field advantage and both stumbled in Game 1. Now each club is staring at the same uncomfortable reality: one more loss, and the margin for error disappears fast.
New York’s problem starts with a shutout and a missing star. The Yankees managed only one hit in a 1-0 loss to Tampa Bay on Saturday, with Drew Rasmussen carving through eight scoreless innings and striking out 10 while carrying a no-hitter into the eighth. Jonathan Aranda’s solo homer was the only run either side needed.
Game 2 is set for Monday at 8 p.m. ET in St.
Petersburg, and the Yankees have to find a way to answer without Aaron Judge, who was left off the ALDS roster because of a calf injury. Drop that one, and New York heads home down 0-2 in a best-of-five series with elimination suddenly right there.
Cleveland is in a similarly tight spot after Chicago’s pitching staff shut things down in Game 1. The White Sox used five pitchers to combine on a three-hit shutout in a 3-0 win, with Munetaka Murakami providing the biggest swing of the day on a two-run homer. Grant Taylor handled four innings out of the bullpen to help finish the job.
That sets up Game 2 in Cleveland on Monday at 5 p.m. ET, and the Guardians can’t afford another slip.
They won the AL Central by one game over Chicago during the regular season, but that edge means nothing now. If the White Sox win again, they go home Wednesday with two chances to finish off their division rival.
That’s the tension baked into Monday’s doubleheader: nobody can be eliminated yet, but two clubs can come very close.
The postseason field has already been trimmed from 12 teams to eight. By late Monday night, the Yankees and Guardians could either have evened their series or find themselves one loss away from joining the Astros, Red Sox, Cubs and Phillies on the sidelines.
October moves fast. For New York and Cleveland, the next nine innings could decide just how fast.
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Rays Just Sent Yankees A Clear Message With This Game 2 Move
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For the second game, Tampa Bay went with DeLuca over Mullins against Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler, a choice that points to DeLucas stronger season and the way he has handled Schlittler in the past. It is a small change on paper, but in a short series every edge matters, and the Rays are signaling they plan to keep pressing the matchup card rather than simply running back the same group. [Read more 🡒]