Aaron Boone and the Yankees continue to have to use creativity to grind out close wins, but keep finding ways to keep their current streak alive.
Even after pulling closer Aroldis Chapman for Wandy Peralta to face former MVP Freddie Freeman with the bases loaded in a one-run game, the Yankees prevailed, making it 11 straight victories for the hottest team in baseball.
For the Yanks, despite boasting the franchise’s longest winning streak since claiming 11 in a row in 1985, too much of their focus has been on finding ways to win all of these close games to take any time and look at the historic nature of their current hot streak.
“We’re in the throes of this thing,” Boone said. “We’re in the grind. We’re in the fight. It’s been so much fun competing with these guys, watching them compete…knowing there’s a lot on the line.”
In a span of a month, the Yankees have been able to propel themselves from a disappointment to a likely fifth straight playoff berth, thanks to a 23-5 stretch, the first time they’ve gone on such a run since their historic 114-win campaign in 1998.
But again, with the hole the Yanks dug themselves early in the season, there hasn’t been time to reflect on their torrid stretch.
“I haven’t really thought about it,” Aaron Judge said. “We’ll probably think about it once it’s over, whenever that is, but it’s just about us taking it one game at a time and not getting ahead of ourselves. Each game is important, especially in the playoff push that we’re in.”
Judge has reached base in 17 straight games, Giancarlo Stanton has a streak of 22 in a row, and the big bats have stepped up while the starting pitching has remained consistent. But still, even with more reinforcements like Gio Urshela and Corey Kluber nearing a return, the Yankees think they can be even better.
“I still don’t think we’re clicking on all cylinders yet, but big guys are stepping up in big moments and helping us win,” Judge said.
The Yanks have used their current winning streak to trim their division deficit to four, and with three games at home against the Rays to close the regular season in October, there will be a chance to make up ground quickly. If the Yanks keep playing at this level, the deficit could be even smaller, if there is a deficit at all, by the time that regular season finale rolls around. But the Yanks aren’t worried about keeping any streaks alive, just their chances to take control of the AL East after seizing the top Wild Card spot.
“We’re not satisfied with just getting a Wild Card, we want to win the division,” Judge said. “So we’ve got a long road ahead of us.”
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
Follow WFAN on Social Media
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitch
