TO WIN THE AL EAST? IT COMES DOWN TO BOONE'S "BELIEVE & HOPE" MANAGING STYLE

The Yankees just keep winning, and honestly, there’s no better time of year for it. They’re doing the one thing they absolutely must: stack up W’s. And right now, they are.

Of course, nothing can ever be too clean with this team, because Aaron Boone insists on being Aaron Boone. Another Anthony Volpe 0-for-3 stinker? Check. Another baffling substitution? Check. Boone actually pinch-hit José Caballero for Jazz Chisholm, a move that made as much sense as sunscreen at midnight. Hey analytics Department... throw your stupid paperwork away.  Caballero is better than Volpe and while Jazz got hurt, you still have others on the bench that could have played second.  

Luckily, the big guns keep bailing Boone out. Aaron Judge wasted no time, smacking a solo homer to left-center in the first. Giancarlo Stanton and Ryan McMahon joined the party in the second, stretching the lead to 3-0. Stanton’s blast was number 453 for his career, pushing him past Carl Yastrzemski into 40th place all-time. Not bad company.

The only problem? The Blue Jays refused to cooperate in their game. Toronto handled Tampa Bay 5-1, staying on top of the AL East heading into the season’s final day. And so the Yankees and Jays are both there. The Jays own the tiebreaker after winning eight of 13 against the Yankees, meaning New York has to both win and pray Toronto stumbles.

The Yanks have ripped off seven straight, 10 of 11 overall, and yet here we are—relying on scoreboard-watching instead of strutting into October with the division already in the bag. That’s the Boone effect. Mismanaged months ago, and now it’s all “believe and hope.”

If the Jays win today, the Yankees get stuck opening the playoffs against the Red Sox. Translation: Garrett Crochet probably carves them up in Game 1, New York claws back in Game 2, and Game 3 turns into a coin flip. Not exactly the ideal route.

So here we sit: one more day, one more must-win, and one more reason to mutter under your breath about Aaron Boone. All we can do now is shout, Let’s go Yankees!—and whisper a quiet, desperate please lose, Toronto.