Here’s why the Yankees lost the AL East last year. They had a losing record against the Blue Jays and Red Sox. Being in the Wild Card round forced them to put Luis Gil in game one, and gave all the momentum to the Jays, who seemed to have these Canadian powers while in Toronto. Like, how was Ernie Clement Ichiro all of a sudden? The guy will be in the KBO in two years. It’s not to say that Carlos Rodon and Max Fried would not have gotten shelled at home if the Yanks DID win the division. It’s just clear that the Yankees played way better at home last year than on the road. These games at least felt closer at Yankee Stadium last year in the ALDS. Toronto was a house of horrors in 2025. Winning the World Series starts with taking the division. Win the division, and set that playoff rotation as you see fit. Little things like that make all the difference. #yankees #newyorkyankees #nyy #baseball #giancarlostanton