Before the 2020 season was originally supposed to begin in late March, the Yankees were considered among the favorites to win the World Series. Most of the team that won 103 games last season and reached the American League Championship Series was back. And they had added one of the best pitchers in baseball, Gerrit Cole, to address a starting rotation weakness.

Then came epic twists and turns: the coronavirus pandemic, followed by a four-month pause, a rebooted but truncated 60-game season with many virus restrictions, a hot start by the Yankees, a repeat of last year’s injury nightmares, a dangerous slump and a torrid recovery in the nick of time.

“That’s 2020, baby,” as Yankees Manager Aaron Boone has often said throughout the year.

Despite a 10-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, the Yankees qualified for the Major League Baseball playoffs when the Seattle Mariners lost to the San Diego Padres, 7-4, later in the day. It will be the Yankees’ fourth straight year in the playoffs, and their 22nd time in 26 years (since the start of the 1995 season).

With a ticket to October assured, the Yankees (31-22) have seven games left in the regular season to determine their seeding in the new postseason format. For this pandemic affected season, M.L.B. owners and players agreed to expand the postseason field from 10 to 16 teams — eight from each league.

Source: New York Times

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