New York Yankees: Predicting MLB Postseason Scenarios
By Arthur Dowell
@a24dowell
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
The New York Yankees have no chance of winning their division with their rival Baltimore Orioles sealing the deal. The team’s lone hope of making the playoffs lie in the wild card race where they are six games back with 12 games left to play. They are 3-7 in their last 10 games, including losers in their last three games.
If the Yankees were to make the playoffs, they would play in a one game wild-card between either the Oakland Athletics or Seattle Mariners, as well as the loser of the AL Central race between the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals. Say the Yankees were to escape that scenario with a win, they would be heading to California to take on the Los Angeles Angels.
It would be difficult to see the Yankees escape that series and make their way into the ALCS. The Angels are playing arguably the best baseball right now, and have the best record to show for it. They would have their No. 1 pitcher waiting to pitch in Game 1 as the Yankees would be going with their No. 2 pitcher, and with their problems all season health wise with the rotation, it would be hard to see them keep up with a dominant Angels lineup led by superstar Mike Trout.
However, if the Yankees continue to ride the magic carpet, they have the chance to face division rival Orioles. The Orioles would love to redeem themselves from the 2012 ALDS and go onto the World Series in light of doing such. The Yankees would love to see whatever magic they can get continue for them and make the run last in time for them to host Game 1 of the World Series in the Bronx. If that were to happen, that would certainly stun not only baseball fans, but sports fans in general.
The Yankees need more than a miracle to get themselves into the wildcard scenario to begin with. According to MLB.com, the team has a 0.2 percent chance of making the playoffs, and that could get even lower with their latest loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. They will likely be packing their bags for a golf trip rather than a one game play-in scenario, and sending legendary shortstop Derek Jeter off into the sunset with his last game being a regular season game at Fenway Park.
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