Forget Fenway . . . it's all business for Yankees in Toronto
The Blue Jays' Bo Bichette (11) throws to first after forcing out the Yankees' Gary Sanchez at second base during the second inning of a game in Toronto on Tuesday. Credit: The Canadian Press via AP/Frank Gunn
Considering the adrenaline rush from that epic three-game sweep at Fenway Park, the Yankees probably felt like they could have sprinted to Canada straight from the handshake line late Sunday night.
By around 4 a.m. Monday morning, which is when Gerrit Cole said the team arrived at their Toronto hotel, the euphoria was likely long gone. Replaced by a dire need for sleep, and the rather daunting challenge of the week ahead.
Bottom line, if the Yankees can’t continue to play as they did during the 2021 Boston Massacre, all of those good feelings, the positive vibes, the sky-high emotional spikes, turn out to be virtually meaningless.
Fun memories, cool highlights, but nothing more. The Yankees put on a spectacular show in leapfrogging the Red Sox atop in the wild-card race. People will be seeing Giancarlo Stanton’s 900 feet of home runs soar over the Monster onto Lansdowne Street for as long as this rivalry exists.
In reality, however, the Yankees accomplished little, other than establishing a foothold that’s only as secure as their next victory. If Aaron Boone & Co. slip back into their Jekyll-and-Hyde personality profile for this next week, with six games split between the Blue Jays and Rays, odds are they won’t be playing in October.
"Even in the valleys when we’ve struggled, I’ve always felt like it’s a confident group, and you can’t make that up," Boone said before Tuesday night's series opener against the Blue Jays. "People can say they’re confident, but I’ve always felt that way, even in the worst of times, that this group feels like they’re capable of special things.
"We’ve been playing meaningful games now for what feels like a couple months. We’ve turned this around ... and part of that is understanding the hole we were in."
Now we’ll get to see how the Yankees handle being frontrunners, against two AL East rivals that hold the season edge. The Blue Jays not only were 10-6 against them heading into Tuesday night’s showdown, but are also fighting for their playoff lives, trailing the Red Sox by one game for the second wild-card spot.
What else needs to be said about the Rays? They’ve already clinched the division (9-7 vs. Yanks) and could have nothing to play for by this weekend’s visit to the Bronx. But the bad blood between these two clubs often boils to Red Sox degrees, and sending the Yankees home for October -- as the Rays did a year ago in the Division Series -- is more than enough motivation, even with their own playoff status secure.
Maybe that Fenway momentum can be a 10th man down this final stretch because the Yankees are going to need it. Stanton’s ferocity at the plate, DJ LeMahieu’s upward trend, Gleyber Torres’ turning back the clock, Luis Severino’s revival, the re-emergence of a dominant Aroldis Chapman. Snapping Aaron Judge’s dislocated pinkie back into place, which they hope stays there for the remainder of this playoff run. All ego-boosting souvenirs the Yankees wanted to pack up in Boston for this Toronto stop and beyond.
"We don’t think too much about the rear-view at this point in time," said Cole, who starts Wednesday night against the Jays. "I think each individual player is probably pulling on some of the things they may have done well in that series that they want to continue to do well here. But Toronto really doesn’t give you the opportunity to leave your brain in Boston while you’re going to be playing a three-game series here."
Short memories would help, given the Yankees’ season-long struggles with the AL East. As well as a successful return for Jameson Taillon, who started Tuesday night’s opener after spending nearly a month on the injury list with a partially-torn tendon in his ankle. Perhaps the Yankees’ biggest disadvantage over this final week is the schedule itself.
The Red Sox, despite the lost weekend at Fenway, finish with the Orioles and Nationals, two teams barely more than speed bumps at this stage of the season. The Blue Jays get their shot at the O’s once the Yankees leave town, adding even more importance to this current series at Rogers Centre.
"Another big game," Boone said. "It was nice to have an off day and kind of catch your breath a little bit, and guys that are banged up get a day this time of year you try to value that. But we understand what’s in front of us, obviously."
As enjoyable as Fenway was, it’s all over now. It’s up to the Yankees to make the next week just as memorable, with a playoff bid the tangible prize this time.
David Lennon is an award-winning columnist, a voter for baseball's Hall of Fame and has covered six no-hitters, including two perfect games.
