Pinstripe Alley · Sep 12, 2023
1998 Yankees Diary, September 12: Worst possible time for a rough stretch
Less than two weeks into September, the Yankees had almost nothing to play for. Postseason berth? Check. AL East crown? Check. Home field advantage throughout the postseason? While they had already crossed the century mark, only one team — the Boston Red Sox — had more than 80 wins. For the next two weeks, the only thing the Yankees had to play for was a shot at history.
Meanwhile, the Toronto Blue Jays were still in the midst of a playoff race, although with minimal margin of error: they were only four games back from the Red Sox in the Wild Card race. Every game mattered — and that showed itself on this particular day.
September 12: Blue Jays 5, Yankees 3 (box score)