Kansas City Royals: Fifth Postseason Picture Update

AL first wild card spot

New York Yankees

Overall record (through Sunday): 73-63

Last week: 3-4

This week: At Baltimore Orioles (Mon.-Wed.); off Thursday; at Texas Rangers (Fri.-Sun.)

The Yankees are in a strange position at the moment. They are simultaneously trying to catch the Red Sox in the East Division, while also attempting to keep the Twins from catching them in the race for the American League’s first Wild Card spot.

It’s a tricky place to be in, but an envious one for several teams. A sweep at the hands of red-hot Cleveland put New York in a precarious situation heading into the weekend. Not only did the Yankees face a tough test with the Red Sox visiting for four games, but elsewhere the Twins hosted the Kansas City Royals for three key contests.

If things fell a certain way, New York would have been behind Minnesota this week. The Yankees can thank themselves first and foremost for that not happening, as the team took three of four from the Red Sox. But New York also owes the Kansas City Royals a debt of gratitude for allowing the Yankees to earn a bit of breathing space.

This week should be easier for New York, but the schedule still isn’t ideal. Trips to Wild Card hopefuls Baltimore and Texas will prove to be nice tests for a team gearing up for a postseason run.