The Yankees were visitors in their hometown Monday night, which is not unusual when they are playing at Citi Field and the team in the other dugout is the Mets.
But there was nothing usual about this night, particularly the fact that the Yankees would be playing the Tampa Bay Rays in what was technically a neutral site. Just how many Yankee fans would make the trip to Queens on short notice remained to be seen, but the crowd was expected to be outnumbered by empty seats.
“I think it’ll be pretty strange, because the atmosphere is usually electric when we’re here,” Yankees Manager Joe Girardi said before the first of the three games here against the Rays.