The final stretch of the MLB regular season is upon us as teams compete for postseason spots on both sides of the fence.
The wild-card races in the American and National Leagues have been electrifying to watch, and each remaining game in the regular season means a lot to many teams.
And then there are some teams that are happy not to have to face their league rivals, like the New York Yankees, who currently own the best record in the American League heading into Tuesday's game. In fact, a win against the AL East rival Baltimore Orioles in their series this week would clinch the division title.
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New York Yankees' Aaron Judge, center, Alex Verdugo, left, and Juan Soto celebrate after a game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
The Yankees celebrated their postseason berth in Oakland last week, reaching a point they surprisingly failed to achieve in the 2023 season. But the team had been on the ball for quite some time, even with the summer slump it went through.
But the question on every Yankees fan's mind is: Will this finally be the year a postseason berth leads to a World Series appearance?
Yankees legend CC Sabathia knows what it takes to reach the Fall Classic, having done so in 2009, the year they defeated the Philadelphia Phillies to win the World Series.
Yankees great CC SABATHIA weighs in on Juan Soto's return to free agency: 'A PERSON WHO IS ESSENTIAL ON BOTH SIDES'
Fox News Digital caught up with Sabathia at his 4th Annual Charity Golf Tournament benefiting his PitCCh In Foundation on Monday, where he revealed his catalyst for the Yankees reaching the World Series, and it's not the two big bats in the lineup you might be thinking of.
“Honestly, I think it would have to be the bullpen,” Sabathia said.
Of course, you can't win games without offense. And when teams have hitters like Aaron Judge, Juan Soto and others in the lineup, they're often the favorites to win their respective leagues.
But pitching becomes even more important in October, especially if your starting pitcher is exhausted or can't seem to find it early in the game.
The Yankees have had major question marks with their bullpen this season, but manager Aaron Boone appears to have figured that out lately, and it started when Clay Holmes, the league leader in blown saves this season, was replaced in that role by Luke Weaver.
New York Yankees pitcher Luke Weaver pitches against the Seattle Mariners. (Images by John Froschauer-Imagn)
Weaver has proven he can handle high-pressure moments that will be even more stressful come postseason time. Since the beginning of the month, Weaver has converted all four of his save opportunities for the Yankees and earned a win in the extra-inning game against the Kansas City Royals on Sept. 11.
The Yankees have also seen Tommy Kahnle and Ian Hamilton perform well in late-inning situations, while Jake Cousins is someone the team hopes can return from the IL in time for the playoffs after having shut down offenses.
And there's always the question of which starters will be in the bullpen in the postseason. Marcus Stroman, who has merely consumed innings for New York, is already there, while Clarke Schmidt, Luis Gil and Nestor Cortes are candidates to enter the game midseason once October rolls around.
Sabathia knows what a bullpen can do in a playoff run, and that's why another former team of his, the Cleveland Guardians, is someone he can't rule out in the American League.
“On the other hand, Cleveland has the bullpen. If you face them in a six-inning game, the game is over. It will be interesting to see how this playoff plays out because there is no clear winner,” he said.
Emmanuel Clase has a 0.63 ERA and has led the league in saves over the past three seasons. He's one of the most relentless pitchers out there and no team wants to chase the Guardians into the ninth inning of the postseason with him on the mound.
The Houston Astros, leaders of the American League West Division, plus the Tigers and the Detroit Royals are also the current owners of the playoff spots.
CHOOSING THE WINNER OF THE NL
While Sabathia is curious to see who emerges from the American League, he provided the National League championship winner, and it's a team that doesn't lead its division right now.
“I think the Padres are going to be in the World Series,” he said.
San Diego Padres first baseman Luis Arraez (4) and right fielder David Peralta (Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images)
Sabathia also mentioned that the New York Mets could “beat the Phillies in a certain situation,” as the National League also offers some interesting matchups right now.
But while the onus has fallen on Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers' power, Sabathia likes what the Padres have been doing lately. They own the first NL wild-card spot at 90-66, and going back to Sabathia's point about the pitching staff and bullpen help, they fit the bill in many ways.
A starting rotation of Dylan Cease, Joe Musgrove, Yu Darvish and Michael King is as solid as it can be heading into the postseason, and the addition of Tanner Scott out of the bullpen has paid off with a 2.19 ERA since coming on board. Also, Jason Adam, another trade deadline acquisition, has posted a 1.11 ERA since heading West.
The Padres also boast star power at many positions on the field, with Xander Bogaerts, Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, Jurickson Profar and NL Rookie of the Year candidate Jackson Merrill leading the way.
Former New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia (New York Yankees/Getty Images)
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It will be a real battle in the National League, though, as Sabathia mentioned that the Mets are on a roll, the Phillies, who seem to be primed at every level for postseason baseball, and the Milwaukee Brewers (another team Sabathia has a soft spot for because he played for them) can't be counted out. Oh, and the Arizona Diamondbacks, the reigning NL champions, are also in the final wild-card spot as of Tuesday.
So while Sabathia continues to play golf and impact lives in his community, he's as excited as any other baseball fan to see which two teams end up in the World Series this fall.
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