The New York Yankees have clinched a playoff berth after defeating the Seattle Mariners 2-1 on Wednesday at T-Mobile Park. With the loss, the Mariners have fallen to 77-75, 3 games out of the Wild Card spot in the American League. Meanwhile, the Yankees have joined the Milwaukee Brewers as the only two teams to have clinched spots in the postseason. Moreover, this victory excited Yankees outfielder Jazz Chisholm, Jr. so much that he guaranteed his team will win the 2024 World Series.
“I love being a Yankee,” Chisholm told Yankees clubhouse reporter Meredith Marakovits during their team’s champagne-filled celebration. “These guys are making it great and we’re going to win a World Series!”
Jazz Chisholm Jr. has made the playoffs with the Miami Marlins in 2020 and 2023, but the Yankees might win the World Series this year, or at least are very serious contenders.
The Yankees haven’t made it to the World Series since 2009, but this time they can rely on the best offensive duo in Major League Baseball, Juan Soto and Aaron Judge, with a combined 93 homers and 239 RBI. Meanwhile, the outfielder has also contributed heavily to their success, with a line of .289/.344/.514 in the 37 games since the Marlins traded Chisholm to New York.
Still, while the team has already secured a spot in the playoffs, they are still jockeying with the Baltimore Orioles and the Cleveland Guardians for the best record in the American League.
They might have to wait until Sunday to clinch the division, provided their wins and the Orioles’ losses add up to six. For now, they are in a good position to take the AL East, which they last won in 2022.
Additionally, clinching either of the top two spots in the AL should give them a Wild Card Series bye, a tremendous advantage in the postseason.
On the other hand, the Yankees’ bullpen issues might also drag them down in late innings, per playoff projections on Bleacher Report. However, manager Aaron Boone has shown his willingness to tinker with matchups, providing a level of flexibility to the team.
This versatility coupled with their firepower at the top should give opponents problems in a short series.
Other teams waiting to clinch spots in the postseason are the Guardians, Philadelphia Phillies, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers are still the heavy favorites to win the World Series, thanks partly to their world-beater Shohei Ohtani.
They are also looking forward to the possible return of Clayton Kershaw for more pitching depth in the playoffs.…Read more by Michael Aaron Gomez
