The Yankees' quest for their first World Series crown since 2009 unraveled with a bad defensive inning in the 2024 Fall Classic against the Dodgers. Last season the road ended abruptly as Aaron Boone's pitching staff proved completely incapable of dealing with the Blue Jays in a lopsided American League division series dud. A legacy of success, plus a huge payroll and some recent playoff pain, means that New York's seasons will always be judged by one metric. It's all or nothing and anything short of the ultimate prize is a letdown.
So with that knowledge there's no reason for fans to get too excited before the calendar turns to May. But one could forgive them for liking what they're seeing from those in pinstripes. The Yankees completed a three-game sweep over the hated Red Sox on Thursday night with a 4-2 victory that saw Cam Schlittler, who grew up a Boston diehard, scatter four hits over eight innings while only allowing one earned run. That's now six consecutive victories for New York, which has allowed it to open up a 2 1/2-game lead at the top of the American League East.
