No, your mind isn鈥檛 playing tricks on you. The New York Yankees are back in town for another one of those “biggest series of the year” against the Blue Jays, just three weeks after they last checked in.
There’s a big difference this time, though.
When that four-game series began on June 30, the Jays were three games behind the American League East-leading Yankees. As this three-gamer begins at the Rogers Centre on Monday evening, the Jays are the ones holding the three-game lead.
“The best teams, there is no difference (between chasing the division leaders and being chased),” said Jays closer Jeff Hoffman, who notched three saves in that Canada Day week sweep of the Yankees. “They’re just showing up and going to work every single night, no matter where they are in the standings, and I think we do a good job with that. At the end of the day, we need to be the same guys, whether we’re chasing or being chased.”
The sweep that catapulted the Jays into first place started a 10-game home win streak,聽tying a franchise record. And since the Yankees left town, the Jays have gone 9-3 to the Bronx Bombers’ 7-5.
Monday’s game will be the Jays’ 100th of the season, which sounds like a lot, but also means that after this series there will be 60 games remaining. According to the people who matter the most, it’s too early to get too excited.
“I mean, it’s (the Yankees), it’s a division team,” said George Springer, who hit .571 with four home runs and 11 RBIs in that first home series against New York. “It doesn’t matter if it’s now, last time, September, April, it’s all the same.”
The Jays’ resident Hall of Famer to be, Max Scherzer, has seen it all: chasing, being chased, sinking to the cellar, winning the whole shebang. The right-hander聽鈥斅who threw five two-hit innings in the opener of the last series against the Yankees, picking up a no-decision in the Jays’ 5-4 come-from-behind win聽鈥 had a very succinct answer when I asked if the Jays need to approach this series any differently, now that they’re leading the division.
“Nope.”
After flashing a聽mischievous smile, the 40-year-old starter continued.
“It’s a regular-season series,” said Scherzer, who has pitched in 20 post-season series, including three trips to the Fall Classic. “Obviously it’s a big series, but it’s still the regular season. We’re just focused on playing good baseball all the way around. That’s been our recipe, that’s it’s a team effort every single time out. You never know who’s going to be the guys that help get us across the finish line.”
That recipe has been cooking up some awfully tasty stuff for almost three months now. Since the Angels’ Jorge Soler hit a walk-off three-run double off Hoffman in Anaheim on May 7, the Jays have won two-thirds of their games: a 108-win pace over a full season. Their 42-21 mark over that span is the best in the major leagues.
“No matter who’s coming, we’re going out there to compete and try to win some games,” said Vladimir Guerrero Jr. after he homered, singled and drove in a pair in Sunday’s 8-6 win over the San Francisco Giants.
“To me every game is the same, every team is the same,” said Guerrero, who has 21 career home runs against the Yankees, his most against any opponent save the Baltimore Orioles (27).
Addison Barger聽鈥 who also homered Sunday and hit .462 with two doubles, two homers and six RBIs in that Canada Day week series against the Yankees聽鈥 agrees that there’s no difference now that the positions in the standings has been reversed.
“I think we go out and play our game, play hard and leave it out on the field, that’s it,” said the 25-year-old slugger. “It’s kind of strange (that the Yankees are back so soon) but I don’t know, I’m kinda new here.”
So is Joey Loperfido, who was at Triple-A Buffalo when last the Jays and Yankees clashed, but was called up soon after and has posted a .922 OPS in eight games. Maybe it’s because he missed the last one, but he’s hyped up.
鈥淚 think any time when you’re leading the division every series means a lot,鈥 said the outfielder.聽鈥淏ut when you’re facing your in-division rival that’s right there in second place, I’m excited.”
Loperfido, who was part of the slog of the final two months of last year’s last-place season, is getting a different vibe from Jays fans these days.
鈥淲alking to the stadium every day, Davis (Schneider), Ernie (Clement) and I can feel the energy, especially walking home after a win. The city’s just buzzing. Should be fun.鈥
While the Jays overtook the Yankees with their sweep, the Yankees can鈥檛 do the same should they flip the script in what will be New York’s final visit of the year.
In the regular season, anyway.
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