With the season nearing an end, the Yankees are battling for home-field advantage in the American League with the Astros.
The Yankees currently have the best record in baseball by 0.5 games ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They have the best record in the American League, too, leading the Houston Astros by 2.5 games. Overall, the Yankees are 81-41, and if the season ended today, the Yankees would host every Postseason series they were to play in.
Don’t Stop Now
After sweeping the Baltimore Orioles (again) today, the Yanks seem hotter than they’ve been all season. As much as the AL East seems to be wrapped up, the Yankees are playing baseball at an unreal level. The Rays are 10 games back with the Red Sox 17.5 games back, so it’s probably safe to assume the division is already won, but that shouldn’t stop the Yankees from battling it out with the other top dogs in baseball for the opportunity to spend the majority of their postseason in their own ballpark.
With the red hot Cleveland Indians coming into town tomorrow, expect the Yankees to continue to battle hard, while the Indians are currently fighting it out with Minnesota for the AL Central crown. After that, the Yanks will head out West for a tough road trip. In the long run, the Yankees just need to survive these games and stay healthy. However, if they want to gain home-field advantage, winning these upcoming games wouldn’t hurt.
Yankees Importance of Home Field Advantage
Some people look at home-field advantage and say it’s overrated, and sometimes, they’re right. At the end of the day, you still have to play and win the games on your schedule. But home-field advantage is exactly what its title indicates: an advantage. The Yankees this season are an AL-best 47-18 at home this year. The only home record better than that is held by the Dodgers at 48-16.
And don’t get me wrong, here’s not to say the Yankees can’t win on the road — they can. Having said that, they are 34-23, far more underwhelming than the 47-18 mark at home. Yes, the Yankees can succeed even without home-field advantage, but it may be more difficult than if that advantage were to be secured.
All things considered, the main Yankee goal should just be to stay healthy at this point. The division is all but finished, the Yanks are already a World Series contender, etc. With that said, the extra push to have the best record in the League can go a long way for the bombers.