Yankees on Deck: Final homestand of season vs. Blue Jays and Diamondbacks
NEW YORK – We’ve arrived at the Yankees’ final homestand, and they’re still involved in the wild card race.
Only, it’s somebody else’s race.
The Toronto Blue Jays and Arizona Diamondbacks are at Yankee Stadium this week for three-game sets against the Yanks, attempting to stay out of the AL East basement.
Winners of six of their last eight games entering the homestand, the Yankees (76-74) will have a big say in Toronto’s fate, with six games remaining against the Blue Jays (83-67) in this regular-season schedule.
Coming off a three-game sweep of the last-place Red Sox, with two walk-off wins, Toronto owned a half-game edge on the second AL wild card as they traveled to the Bronx.
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Arizona (79-72) was in a similar position in the crowded NL wild card race, with Chicago Cubs, Miami Marlins, Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants all vying for the final two playoff spots.
Yankees vs. Blue Jays: Time/TV, pitching matchups
Tuesday, 7:05 p.m., YES: LHP Yusei Kikuchi (9-6, 3.81) vs. RHP Clarke Schmidt (9-8, 4.56).
Wednesday, 7:05 p.m., Amazon: RHP Kevin Gausman (11-9, 3.40) vs. RHP Michael King (4-6, 2.77).
Thursday, 7:05 p.m., YES: RHP Jose Berrios (11-10, 3.49) vs. RHP Gerrit Cole (13-4, 2.81).
Bottom line: Since May 19, Schmidt has posted an 8-4 record and a 3.91 ERA, putting him squarely in the rotation picture for 2024. He’s at a career high 146 innings.
King would figure to be in next year’s rotation mix, too, given his arsenal and this recent buildup.
Since transitioning from the bullpen, King has pitched to a 1.27 ERA in five starts, with 29 strikeouts vs. four walks and zero home runs allowed in 21.1 innings.
Continuing the quest for his first Cy Young award, Cole has better second-half stats than his All-Star first with a 2.76 ERA and a .559 opponents’ OPS, averaging 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings.
Yankees injury updates
Struck in the side of the head Friday night by a line drive, lefty reliever Anthony Misiewicz was due for further exams this week in New York.
Misiewicz was hospitalized overnight in Pittsburgh due to concussion related symptoms. He suffered a cut near his left ear from the line drive, estimated to have traveled at 100.6 mph.
Sidelined all season following arthroscopic surgery to his right shoulder, right-hander Frankie Montas began a minor league rehab assignment Sunday at Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Montas pitched one inning and yielded one run, with two strikeouts. There's an outside chance the pending free agent might make a big-league appearance before the regular season ends.
Right-handed reliever Keynan Middleton (right shoulder inflammation) is due to throw a bullpen session this week, with the anticipation of being activated off the injured list in the coming days.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Yankees on Deck: Final homestand of season vs. Blue Jays, Diamondbacks
