With the New York Yankees set to begin their playoff run on Friday, fans are hoping the team can capture its first title in 10 years.
“I want to see championship number 28,” said Lyndon Rios. “I want to see another parade on Broadway.” The Yankees have won seven titles since the 49-year-old from Queens was born.
Rios has every reason to be optimistic. The Yankees won 103 games this season, their most since the last time they lifted the Commissioner’s Trophy in 2009. Their opponent in the Division Series, the Minnesota Twins, are no pushovers though, having won 101 games.
Game 1 starts at 7:07 p.m. Friday at Yankee Stadium. Game 2 follows on Saturday evening in the Bronx, before the series shifts to Minnesota on Monday.
“I’m expecting a lot of home runs from both teams,” said Darren Jackson, 54. The Bronx native pointed out that both teams broke Major League Baseball’s record for most homers in a single season, each surpassing 300 this year.
While the Bronx Bombers’ lineup lived up to their nickname this year, the team’s starting pitching has some fans worried. Domingo German, who led the team with 18 wins, won’t pitch again this season after being placed on administrative leave. German is being investigated by the league for an alleged domestic violence incident.
Jackson took solace in the return of star pitcher Luis Severino, who made his season debut on Sept. 17 after recovering from shoulder and back issues. Injuries were a constant storyline for the Yankees throughout the regular season, as the team set an MLB record with 30 different players spending time on the injured list.
“The team’s healthy now though,” Jackson said. “Aaron Boone deserves to win the Manager of the Year award after all the injuries. I think they’ll reach the World Series.”
In order to get that far, the Yankees would have to beat either the Tampa Bay Rays or Houston Astros after defeating the Twins. When asked which team they were most worried about ending the Yankees’ season, several fans chose the Astros, who are the bookmakers’ favorite to win the World Series.
The Yankees won’t be short of support though. “True New Yorkers want the whole state to win,” said Mets fan Al Green. “A New York win is still a New York win.”
