NEW YORK -- The American League East is there for the New York Yankees to take. Of their 63 remaining games, 36 are against division opponents, beginning Thursday night with a visit from the surprising Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees start the series with the fewest losses of any team in the East.
With the 100th game of the season on the schedule Thursday and the trade deadline soon to be hours instead of days away, this is now the stretch run.
"These [games] are really important," manager Joe Girardi said.
For this AL East-heavy stretch of schedule, the Yankees have Aaron Judge, who has feasted on division rivals.