The Series Ahead: Yankees @ Blue Jays

Yankees vs. Blue JaysRogers Centre
(3 Game Series)




Ladies and Gentlemen the New York Yankees are back. After a tough stretch of games where they played division rivals, division leaders, and their cross town rivals the Yankees came home and beat up on some bad teams taking 6 out of 7 games at home. It could have been 7 of 7 if not for one bullpen implosion. The Yanks managed their tough stretch, took their time and got healthy, and besides Nick Johnson the lineup is ready to go.

The Toronto Blue Jays have been the surprise team in the AL East this season, despite hitting a wall recently for a good part of the first two months they sat in third place in the East when many "experts" thought they would be even worse than the Orioles. Despite some recent struggles due to a more difficult schedule the Blue Jays have proven to be a formidable opponent whom can hit and pitch. The word around the league this year has been that the ball is flying out of the ballpark in Toronto where the Blue Jays have hit 49 so far this year. Toronto may be a better team than many predicted, but at some point they will come back to earth and with back to back to back series with the Rays and Yankees that time could be now.

With the Yankees on a roll this may be the perfect opportunity to get Alex Rodriguez going. While he has been playing better of late he must feel very comfortable in the Rogers Centre. In 89 career games in Toronto he has hit .303 with 32 HR's and 86 RBI. Those numbers are absurdly good. If Alex Rodriguez could go on a hot streak and carry this team for a week or so it would be perfect timing. Robinson Cano, Derek Jeter, and Nick Swisher have been playing out of this world for the last two weeks and are bound to slow down. It's time for someone else to step up and that person very well may be A-rod.

The Yankees are in a good place right now. We sit just 2 games back in the AL East and while it may be to early to look the Yankees lead the Wild Card race. However right now is the perfect stretch to make a move on the Rays. The Yankees will face the Blue Jays for three, the Orioles for three, followed by the Astros for three before they meet the Phillies at the stadium. With solid play the Yankees should make up some ground on the Rays over that stretch. It starts tonight in Toronto.

Matchups

Game 1: Tonight

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