With the New York Yankees holding a comfortable 4.5 game lead over Toronto in the AL East, this weekend series can explain a lot.
By Robby Sabo
After a superb and wind-the-clock back performance by C.C. Sabathia last night against the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees are feeling as confident as ever.
With a lineup that can call themselves the second best in MLB with 528 runs scored, coupled with a lock-down back of the bullpen, the Yankscomfortable 4.5 game lead in the AL East seems even larger than that.
Sabathia even showed fire and emotion in a charged up scene:
.@CC_Sabathia’s final line: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 8 K’s. And one REAL hype moment. #PinstripePride pic.twitter.com/1m8TVGVuBS
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 7, 2015
Although, the team creeping up behind them is ready to make some noise.
The Toronto Blue Jays boast the absolute best offense in the league (587 runs) and have just acquired Troy Tulowitzki and ace lefty David Price. They sport an 8-1 record in their last nine and have many pointing to them as the team that’ll continually rise over the last two months of the season.
What better time than now to have the Jays invade Yankee Stadium for an important three-game set?
#NastyNate returns to the mound in the Bronx as the #Yankees host the Jays. http://t.co/r7aVC5as93 #PinstripePride pic.twitter.com/OQsK3OkSVe
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 7, 2015
Tonight's lineup in NYC (7:05pm start), presented by @MajesticOnField pic.twitter.com/GffWQ5zV7T
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) August 7, 2015
The 2 hottest offensive teams in baseball are the @BlueJays and @Yankees. pic.twitter.com/ScYg3LUvbS — Baseball Tonight (@BBTN) August 7, 2015
In a series that will tell part of the story and set up an interesting narrative for much of the next two months, both offenses will look to take advantage of suspect starting pitching.
Nate Eovaldi (11-2, 4.30 ERA) will get the first call for the Bombers. He’ll oppose knuckleballer R.A. Dickey (6-10, 4.06).
The Jays currently hold the number-two AL Wild Card spot, just fractions behind the Los Angeles Angels. Their charge to make their first postseason since 1993 begins now.
Via ESPN:
“There’s just a different feeling,” Mark Buehrle said after recording his 12th victory. “I felt the same way in ’05 when (the Chicago White Sox) won the World Series.”
Considering these teams are one-two in the majors in runs scored, watch this series feature a total of 11 combined runs.
One thing to note: after plating 90 runs in nine games, the Yankees offense was limited to just one run against Red Sox knuckleballer Steven Wright on Wednesday night. This will prove to either be a blessing or a curse with another knuckleballer in Dickey opposing them tonight.
First pitch is slated for 7:05 PM ET from the Bronx.
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