Joy R. Absalon-US PRESSWIRE

The New York Yankees are currently in first place in the American League East division by one game over the contending Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees are entering a three-game series with the Boston Red Sox starting Tuesday. This series is one of many important games coming up the Yankees down the stretch as they try to not blow it and miss the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

Surprisingly enough, the Yankees are one-game under .500 since the all-star break and are still atop of the AL East. However, with the way the Yankees upcoming schedule looks like, there are no more excuses the Yankees can make as to why they miss the playoffs, if they do.

The Yankees have six games remaining on their schedule against teams with winning records. They have a series with the Tampa Bay Rays Sept. 14-16 and then a series against the Oakland Athletics Sept. 21-23. Other than that, the team has 16 games against teams with losing records. Teams who have already packed it in. Teams who are already planning trips to the great outdoors to get a jump start on hunting season.

It looks like a real easy schedule coming up for the Bronx Bombers. Compare it to the Orioles schedule which has nine games on it against teams with winning records. A little bit tougher than the Yankees.

With Alex Rodriguez coming back to hit in the designated hitter spot, Curtis Granderson recording five RBIs Sunday, Andy Pettitte and Ivan Nova close to returning and Russell Martin finally coming around, the Yankees cannot slip up and cannot make a mistake.

This time next week, if the Yankees are still only one or two games up on the Orioles, it is time to start panicking in the Bronx.

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