If the Yankees lose tonight, it would negatively impact their chance to clinch the AL East division title. Currently, the Yankees and Blue Jays are tied at the top of the AL East with four games remaining in the regular season. The Blue Jays hold the tiebreaker advantage due to a better head-to-head record against the Yankees. If the Yankees lose, the Blue Jays could gain a lead in the division race, making it more difficult for the Yankees to avoid the Wild Card Series. A loss by the Yankees would mean they might have to settle for a wild card spot rather than winning the division. If they win the division, they can skip the Wild Card Series and advance directly to the Division Series starting October 4th. But to do that, the Yankees need to win most if not all of their remaining games, especially since the Blue Jays have a favorable schedule compared to them. If the Yankees lose, it could open the door for the Blue Jays to claim the division and the Yankees to host a best-of-three Wild Card Series instead. In summary, a Yankees loss tonight would put them behind the Blue Jays in the division race and likely force them into the Wild Card Series round rather than advancing directly to the Division Series. They remain guaranteed a postseason berth regardless of the outcome tonight but the seeding and playoff path hinge on these last few games.
