The Yankees have been decimated by injuries this year, with more than a dozen key players going down. Check back here for the latest updates on the walking wounded.  

10-day IL: David Hale, Aaron Hicks, Jonathan Holder, Mike Tauchman

60-day IL: Jacoby Ellsbury, Greg Bird, Miguel Andujar

The Yankees fell to the Blue Jays 4-3 on Friday night at Yankee Stadium. >> Box Score

Five takeaways from Friday's game...

1) J.A. Happ had another solid outing for the Yankees. While his final line won't blow anyone away -- 5.1 innings, two earned runs, four strikeouts and no walks -- it was another step in the right direction for the lefty who struggled for the most of the season. Happ has pitched to a 3.47 ERA in his last seven starts, and he hasn't given up more than three earned runs in a start since August 21.

On Wednesday night, CC Sabathia walked off the mound at Yankee Stadium for the final time in a regular season game.

The veteran's status for the postseason roster has been up in the air, but on Friday, Aaron Boone may have dropped a hint about how Sabathia could be used in October.

"CC's going to pitch out of the pen, at least a couple of times probably on the road trip," Boone said. "He'll probably pitch once in Texas and hopefully once in Texas. We're still talking through some scenarios and options, but that's one we know for sure."

The Yankees (100-54, 9.5 GA in AL East) start a three-game series with the Blue Jays (62-91, 37.5 GB in AL East) at Yankee Stadium on Friday night, with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m.

Yankees notes

The Yankees clinched the AL East after their 9-1 victory over the Angels on Thursday night at Yankee Stadium. The victory gave them back-to-back 100-win seasons and made manager Aaron Boone the first in MLB history to do such in his first two seasons. It's also the team's first divison title since 2012. Masahiro Tanaka had a strong outing, as he allowed just one earned run and four hits over 7.0 innings of work. The Yanks hit four home runs in the win, courtesy of DJ LeMahieu, Brett Gardner, Cameron Maybin, and Clint Frazier.

The Yankees have officially clinched the AL East title on Thursday night, doing so for the first time since 2012. Now the only thing left to play for is home field advantage throughout the postseason, which the Astros and Bombers are currently locked in to with 100 wins apiece.

As the Yankees ride out the rest of the season, the next phase of their journey to the World Series will be putting together the 25-man postseason roster. 

One big advantage GM Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone possess this year is roster depth, something that has gotten them through all the injuries that have plagued the team throughout the season. Players like Gio Urshela, DJ LeMahieu, Cameron Maybin, Mike Tauchman, and others have stepped up when called upon, and that should continue in October. 

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The Yankees waited deep into the night after losing on Wednesday, hoping for a Rays' loss that didn't come, but for a team that had nothing handed to it all season, winning on Thursday night surely was a more appropriate way to clinch the AL East.

Indeed, if ever a ballclub deserved to celebrate a division title it was these 2019 Yankees, overcoming a record number of injuries to win 100 games, and counting, for the second straight season.

Thursday night's 9-1 win over the Angels was a momentous win for the Yankees in a number of ways. They clinched the AL East title, while winning their 100th game, tied with the Astros for the most in baseball.

But make no mistake. This team wants more.

"One of the things we talked about in spring training was winning the division, and that's a reality now," said Aaron Boone. "You think of a lot of people who contributed to this. 

"Obviously, we have bigger goals, but this is an important step and I'm just proud of the guys and the so many people, some who aren't even in that room right now, to us being here."

Despite dealing with injuries all season long, the Yankees overcame that adversity and won their 19th AL East title on Thursday night after a 9-1 win over the Angels. It's the team's first division title since 2012, and gives them back-to-back 100-win seasons.

Star players like Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, Luis Severino, Gary Sanchez and many others have all been injured and had to miss games at one point this season.

"Lot of ups and downs this year, lot of guys battling through things," Judge said. "We're just happy to be in here, happy to be in this moment."

For the first time since 2012, the Yankees are AL East champions.

The Yankees defeated the Angels 9-1 on Thursday night, led by seven outstanding innings from Masahiro Tanaka and an early three-run shot from DJ LeMahieu, one of four Yankees home runs.

The 2019 season marks the 19th time in team history that the Yankees have taken the AL East crown in 49 seasons, nine ahead of the Red Sox, who have won the division 10 times. 

The Yankees clinched the AL East for the 19th time in their 9-1 win over the Angels on Thursday night at Yankee Stadium. >> Box Score

Five takeaways from Thursday's game...

1) Masahiro Tanaka had his best start in over a month, allowing just one earned run and four hits over 7.0 innings. The righty struck out six and walked none, however, he did allow a home run for the fourth straight game. It was the first time that Tanaka had allowed less than two earned runs in a game since he threw a scoreless seven innings against the Seattle Mariners on Aug. 27.

As MLB investigates Yankees pitcher Domingo German for an alleged domestic violence incident, multiple major league sources indicated that a significant suspension is a strong possibility.

Although hardly as important as the safety of the alleged victim, the Yankees fear that situation could end up costing the team one of its best players for the postseason. That fear is based on the strength of baseball's developing case against German.

MLB placed the pitcher on administrative leave on Thursday in order to investigate what was, according to sources, an alleged domestic incident that occurred late Monday or early Tuesday, following CC Sabathia's charity gala. The incident involved a girlfriend.

The leave can last up to seven days, but MLB has the right to extend it while gathering information and evaluating a possible suspension. Also, a player who appeals does not get "benefit of a stay," as a source worded it, meaning that German can't play while he's appealing.

As the Yankees take the field on Thursday against the Angels with a chance to clinch the AL East, they'll do so without Aaron Judge in the starting lineup.

The slugger is not in Thursday's lineup, in part because of some shoulder pain resulting from a diving effort in the outfield on Wednesday night. Judge was a little slow to get up after the diving attempt on an Albert Pujols base hit in the fifth inning, but he stayed in the game. He went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in the Yankees' 3-2 loss to the Angels.

Manager Aaron Boone said on Thursday that he believes Judge is fine, and while the outfielder won't be going for any further tests, Boone wanted to give him a day of rest as the Yankees prepare for what they hope is a long playoff run. 

Yankees RHP Domingo German has been placed on administrative leave by Major League Baseball under the joint MLB-MLBPA Domestic Violence Policy, the league announced Thursday.

Per MLB policy, the initial period of leave may last up to seven days -- barring an extension. 

According to the league's release, "Major League Baseball's Department of Investigations has commenced an investigation into the matter that led to his placement on Administrative Leave."

The Yankees (99-54, 9.0 GA in AL East) can once again try to clinch the AL East with a win over the Angels (69-83, 30.5 GB in AL West) at Yankee Stadium on Thursday night, with first pitch set for 6:35 p.m.

Yankees notes

The Yankees' magic number for the AL East title remained at one after last night's 3-2 loss to the Angels... They can claim the title with a win or a Rays' loss to the Dogers Thursday night. ... Giancarlo Stanton made his return to the lineup Wednesday night after being reinstated from the 60-day IL. ...went 1-for-3 with one strikeout in the loss ... CC Sabathia pitched for his final time at Yankee Stadium Wednesday night, leaving the mound after throwing for 2.2 innings. ... A win tonight would give the Yankees' their 21st 100-win season in franchise history and their first back-to-back 100 win seasons since doing so three years in a row from 2002-2004. ... The MLB also placed Domingo German on administrative leave under the joint MLB-MLBPA Domestic Voilence Policy.

The past six years of Yankees history have been marked by retiring legends. That continues this October when C.C. Sabathia joins Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter, and Alex Rodriguez as the next man to forever hang up that pinstripe jersey.

After making his Major League debut in Cleveland in 2001, Sabathia, his once-unstoppable fastball, and large frame have become synonymous with New York. And the lefty just pitched his final regular season start at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night, leaving with a tip of his cap to the crowd giving him a nice ovation.

Recording his 3,000th strikeout this season and being a major force behind the Yanks' last World Series-winning season are undoubtedly career highlights, but there's almost too many moments to list from his Hall of Fame-worthy resume.

Giancarlo Stanton had played in just nine games for the Yankees this season and hadn't appeared in pinstripes since June 25.

But on Wednesday night, the Yankees' outfielder dug into the box in the top of the second inning against the Angels, his first at-bat in nearly three months. 

Facing Angels lefty Dillon Peters, Stanton quickly fell behind 0-2, but he took a couple of pitches and fouled another off to push the at-bat past five pitches, and on the sixth pitch, Stanton roped a double into the left-center field gap, much to the delight of Yankees fans in attendance.

With two outs in the top of the third inning of Wednesday's game against the Angels, CC Sabathia walked off the mound at Yankee Stadium for possibly the last time.

CC leaves the Yankee Stadium mound for the last time 😢



(via @YESNetwork) pic.twitter.com/W8iKjb2SKb

- Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) September 18, 2019

Clinching the AL East will have to wait, for now, as the Yankees fell to the Angels 3-2 on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium. >> Box Score

Five takeaways from Wednesday's game...

1) CC Sabathia was pulled from the game with two outs in the top of the third inning, with two runners on. For potentially the final time, he walked off the mound at Yankee Stadium, as fans gave him a standing ovation and his teammates met him at the top of the dugout steps. Sabathia likely will not make the Yankees' postseason roster, meaning he may have pitched his final game in the Bronx after 11 seasons with the Bombers. Sabathia allowed two earned runs in 2.2 innings, striking out four. 

The Yankees (99-53, 10.0 GA in AL East) can clinch the AL East with a win over the Angels (68-83, 30.5 GB in AL West) at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night, with first pitch set for 6:35 p.m.

Yankees notes

The Yankees' magic number is down to one, meaning they can clinch the AL East on Wednesday with a win or a Rays' loss to the Dodgers. ... Giancarlo Stanton makes his return to the lineup after being reinstated from the 60-day IL. ... A win tonight would give the Yankees' their 21st 100-win season in franchise history. ... The Yankees also placed Dellin Betances on the 60-day IL with a partial tear of his Achilles.

Giancarlo Stanton has found his way back to the Bronx again, as the Yankees have him slated in their lineup against the Angels on Wednesday. 

Manager Aaron Boone noted that Stanton was on his way to join the team again, and it was possibility that he would be activated off the IL today. And not only did the Yankees activate him, but they throw him right into the mix with his start in left field and hitting fifth in the order. 

Stanton has been on the 60-day IL with a PCL strain in his right knee, which came about right after he was rehabbing calf, shoulder and biceps injuries. He suffered the PCL strain in June, and it has been a slow process for him to get back fully healthy. 

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

First things first: you can't help but feel for Dellin Betances, one of the good guys in baseball, who tore his Achilles tendon in a freakish manner Sunday on the very day he finally pitched in a game for the first time this season.

That's as cruel as it is painful, all the more so considering that he is a couple months away from becoming a free agent.

Yet the cold truth is that if the Yankees can have only one of the two star pitchers for whom they've waited all season, they would much prefer it to be Luis Severino.

Just when the Yankees thought their injuries were over with, they found out that a top player -- who returned Sunday from the injured list -- has a new health issue.

After Tuesday's 8-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium in New York, the team announced to reporters before manager Aaron Boone's postgame press conference that RHP Dellin Betances had suffered a partially torn Achilles.

Betances had just returned from the 60-day injured list in Sunday's 6-4 loss to the Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, striking out two through 0.2 innings.

The Yankees won their first game their final homestand of the season, coming up victorious over the Angels 8-0 Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. >> Box Score

Five takeaways from Tuesday's game...

1) Facing his first major league batter since the 2018 ALDS, Luis Severino came in expecting to throw about 70 pitches (ended up throwing 67)…he used up 12 of those on the leadoff hitter. Brian Goodwin was caught looking on the first pitch, took two balls on the next couple and then proceeded to foul off the next six pitches. Goodwin held Severino to a full count before walking on the 12th pitch. But, Severino managed to escape the inning with no runs scored and just one hit to go with the walk, but used up 19 pitches.

Luis Severino made his long-awaited return to the Yankees for Tuesday's opener of the three-game series against the Angels, picking up not far from where he left off.

Back in the big leagues for the first time since his 19-8 season in 2018, Severino threw 67 pitches (47 strikes) and limited Los Angeles to two hits over 4.0 scoreless innings.

Severino issued two walks but recorded two strikeouts, nearly touching 99 mph on his fastball while mixing in a healthy dose of sliders and changeups.

The Yankees (98-53, 9.0 GA in AL East) begin their final homestand of the regular season against the Angels (68-82, 29.5 GB in AL West) Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. at Yankee Stadium.

Yankees notes

Dellin Betances and Jordan Montgomery made their season debuts Sunday, but the Yankees fell 6-4 to the Blue Jays and lost the series 2-1. Betances allowed no hits or earned runs and struck out two batter in 0.2 innings pitched, while Montgomery also struck out another two, but allowed three earned runs on four hits in 2.0 innings of relief. Aaron Judge hit his 23rd home run of the season in the first inning. The Yankees' magic number remains at 2 with 11 games to play and are close to securing their first division title since 2012.

Former Yankees closer and recent Hall of Fame inductee Mariano Rivera was awarded the Presidential Medal of Free by President Donald Trump on Monday. 

The award is the nation's highest civilian honor, which Rivera earns after becoming the first player ever unanimously elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame this year. 

Rivera was presented the award during a ceremony at the White House, which also included a tribute to his walkout song, "Enter Sandman," as the President and pitcher entered the room while the song played. 

If you're an observer, Yankees-Astros is the playoff series you want and you want it to last as long as possible. Sign us up for a rematch of the 2017 ALCS and let those two behemoths swing away for seven games. The record books can sort it all out.

However, if you're mainly interested in Yankee fortunes, well, it might be best if the Astros encounter an upset in the ALDS. Not that the Yankees can't beat them, but facing that lineup, backed by the mega-rotation of Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and Zack Greinke is not exactly apple picking on a cool October afternoon.

With that in mind, here are some potential pinstriped playoff scenarios to mull over during the final few weeks of the season. It's not too early to start thinking about these things. The Astros and Yankees are already battling in a preliminary that could have real impact on next month -- who finishes with the AL's best record and gets home-field advantage.

With just two and a half weeks until the playoffs get underway, Jordan Montgomery and Dellin Betances have little time to shake off the rust if they want to appear on the Yankees' postseason roster.

But both pitchers took the next step in their journey to fully recover from injury on Sunday, appearing on a big league mound for the first time in the 2019 season.

The Yankees dropped the final game of their three-game series with Blue Jays on Sunday, losing by a final score of 6-4. >> Box Score

Four takeaways from Sunday's game...

1) The Yankee pitching staff struggled early on Sunday, as four pitchers combined to give up six runs over the first five innings. Chad Green was effective as the opener, but Jordan Montgomery's 2019 debut was a battle, as the left-hander allowed three runs on four hits over two innings. Dellin Betances also made his first appearance of the season and he was excellent, striking out both batters he faced. But Betances gave way to Nestor Cortes Jr., who allowed a three-run homer to Randal Grichuk, the outfielder's second home run of the game.

The Yankees (98-52, 9.0 GA in AL East) wrap up their three-game series with the Blue Jays (58-91, 39.5 GB in AL East) at 1:07 p.m. at Rogers Centre on Sunday.

Yankees notes

James Paxton won his ninth straight game in Saturday's 13-3 win over the Blue Jays... The Yankees hit four homers in Saturday's win, courtesy of Brett Gardner, Gleyber Torres, Luke Voit and Mike Ford. Every Yankee starter had a hit in the game, as they collected 19 in total... With 37 home runs, Torres is tied with Nelson Cruz for third in the American League.

Rewind the tape to the beginning of this season. 

The Yankees entered the year with a starting outfield of Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Hicks, and Aaron Judge, from left to right. 

Brett Gardner, in his age 36 season, was thought of as a role player, someone who could start in the outfield every now and then, and maybe enter the game as a pinch runner or a defense replacement. 

Fast forward to the present day, where Gardner has set a career high with 25 home runs and a .483 slugging percentage in 129 games played of the Yankees' 150.

The Yankees defeated the Blue Jays 13-3 on Saturday afternoon in Toronto. >> Box Score

Five takeaways from Sunday's game...

1) 

2) . 

The Yankees (97-52, 9.0 GA in AL East) continue their three-game series with the Blue Jays (58-90, 38.5 GB in AL East) at 3:07 p.m. inside the Rogers Centre in Toronto.

Yankees notes

The lineup shuffles for the Yankees after they suffered their 6-5 loss in 12 innings to the Blue Jays late Friday night. Among the notables, RF Aaron Judge is back in the two spot after he sat out -- until a pinch-hit strikeout in the top of the 12th inning -- as a precautionary move following his collision into the right-field wall during Thursday's doubleheader with the Detroit Tigers. Cameron Maybin, who replaced Judge in Friday's starting lineup, slides back to LF in favor of Clint Frazier after an 0-for-5 night in RF. Without Gary Sanchez until -- likely -- the end of the month as he recovers from his pulled left groin Thursday, the Yankees give C Kyle Higashioka the nod behind the dish after Austin Romine spent all 12 innings as the team's backstop Friday. Didi Gregorius gets the day off, sliding SS Gleyber Torres in the middle infield and giving 2B Thairo Estrada his first start since Aug. 17 before he suffered a calf injury.

RF Aaron Judge was available to play Friday against the Blue Jays as the Yankees started the weekend's three-game series at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, but manager Aaron Boone erred on the side of caution before first pitch.

The Yankees replaced Judge with Cameron Maybin in New York's 6-5 loss (12 innings) to the Blue Jays, giving one of the team's top bats the night off until the final frame.

Pinch-hitting for Tyler Wade, who was the pinch-runner for Luke Voit after the DH's two-out walk in the top of the ninth inning, Judge struckout.

The Yankees fell to the Blue Jays 6-5 in 12 innings on Friday night in Toronto. >> Box Score

Six takeaways from Friday's game...

1) With the game tied 5-5 in the bottom of the 12th inning, Tyler Lyons allowed a solo home run to Bo Bichette, giving the Blue Jays a walk-off 6-5 win. For Bichette, the blast was his 11th of his impressive rookie season. 

2) Masahiro Tanaka breezed through the first inning, striking out two, but the Blue Jays took the first lead of the night in the second, as Randal Grichuk blasted his 26th home run of the season to put the Yankees in an early 1-0 hole. Tanaka then allowed two more runs in the fourth inning and another run was charged to him in the fifth. His night came to an end after five. His line was not very inspiring, as he allowed four earned on eight hits through five.

The Yankees (97-51, 10.0 GA in AL East) start a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays (57-90, 39.5 GB in AL East) at 7:07 p.m. at the Rogers Centre.

Yankees notes

The Yankees won both ends of their doubleheader with the Detroit Tigers on Thursday. They won the first game 10-4, thanks to two two-run homers from Luke Voit and Edwin Encarnacion. In the second game of the day, the Yanks won 6-4 after CC Sabathia and Domingo German both struck out five batters. Encarnacion left the first game with a strained left oblique, while J.A. Happ left with bicep tendinitis. Then in the second game, Gary Sanchez left with left groin tightness, and RHP Tommy Kahnle injured his finger in a dugout incident.

Near the end of a year in which the Yankees have been decimated by injuries, including three during Thursday's doubleheader sweep over the Detroit Tigers, New York nearly experienced another one.

After the Yankees' 6-4 victory against the Tigers in the second game Thursday, RHP Tommy Kahnle needed to meet with the Yankees' trainer.

Kahnle entered for RHP Domingo German in the bottom of the eighth inning and worked the Yankees out of trouble, getting Christin Stewart to line into a double play before returning for the following frame.

Despite sweeping their doubleheader with the Detroit Tigers on Thursday, the Yankees suffered a couple tough losses.

Three, to be exact.

Edwin Encarnacion left the first game with a strained left oblique, while J.A. Happ left the same game with bicep tendinitis.

The Yankees got out to an early lead thanks to an Aaron Judge home run in their 6-4 win over the Tigers in Game 2 of the team's doubleheader. >> Box Score

Five takeaways from Thursday's Game 2...

1) CC Sabathia threw 56 pitches in just 3.1 innings during his first start since returning from the IL. The lefty allowed only two earned runs on three hits, ands struck out five batters. Domingo German then came in and struck out five batters on two hits, as he threw 50 pitches in four innings of work.

The Yankees (96-51, 9.0 GA in AL East) take on the Detroit Tigers (43-101, 45.5 GB in AL Central) at Comerica Park for the second game of a Thursday doubleheader.

Yankees notes

Luke Voit and Edwin Encarnacion both homered for the Yankees in Game 1 of Thursday's doubleheader, a 10-4 Yankees win. ... Encarnacion was pulled from the first game due to a left oblique strain, with the team announcing that he would head back to New York for more tests. ... DJ LeMahieu went 0-for-6 with strikeouts in Game 1. ... The Yankees moved ahead of the Twins for the most home runs hit as a team this season (278).

The Yankees jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, taking down the Tigers on their home field, 10-4, in Game 1 of the team's doubleheader. >> Box Score

Five takeaways from Thursday's Game 1...

1) J.A. Happ was looking to continue his hot streak on the mound lately, and though it wasn't the scoreless innings he posted in his last two outings, it was a decent start for the lefty. Over 4.2 innings, Happ allowed two runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out six. He also let up one homer in his 99-pitch start. 

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

After Game 1 of last year's division series loss to Boston, Aaron Boone had some cleaning up to do with his starting pitcher.

J.A. Happ, who had been removed with no outs in the third inning, was in Boone's office, and he was angry. He felt he should have had the chance to turn his performance around and save the bullpen.

But as Happ sat in a chair in the tiny room at Fenway, Boone and pitching coach Larry Rothschild calmly explained their rationale: They had a strong relief corps, were unwilling to let the game get away from them, and preferred other matchups in that inning. Happ left the office satisfied, and appreciative of the open exchange.

Anthony McCarron, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Back in spring training, Yankees bigwigs noticed that Gleyber Torres was "really launching the ball," as GM Brian Cashman puts it. But not even the most optimistic Torres observers expected the infielder's power surge this season.

Entering Thursday's doubleheader in Detroit, Torres has 36 home runs, the most of any middle infielder in baseball. But slugging is only part of what's, ahem, launched the 22-year-old into the conversation about the best young stars in baseball.

The Yankees (95-51, 8.5 GA in AL East) take on the Detroit Tigers (43-100, 45.0 GB in AL Central, 41.0 GB for second Wild Card) at Comerica Park for the first game of a Thursday doubleheader at 1:10 pm.

Yankees notes

The Yankees are 7-3 in their last 10 games. ... The Yankees slammed six home runs in their 12-11 loss to the Tigers on Tuesday. ... The Yankees are not starting Gary Sanchez or Gleyber Torres in the first game of Thursday's doubleheader. ... Edwin Encarnacion and Luke Voit both have one career home run off of Tigers starter Matthew Boyd.

Yankees RHP Luis Severino is finally set to make his season debut on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium against the Angels, according to Aaron Boone.

Severino has been on the IL all season, dealing with shoulder and lat issues. He has been progressing really well in his rehab recently, and after checking off all the boxes, the Yankees are ready to bring him back to the Bronx. 

The 25-year-old pitched in his last rehab start last night with Double-A Trenton, where he was solid. Four runs may have been on the board, but only one was earned and he recorded four strikeouts over 64 pitches (47 strikes) in 2.1 innings. Reports also had Severino's fastball in the mid-to-upper 90s with it topping out at 98 mph. 

Game 2 of the Yankees' three-game series against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Wednesday has been postponed, the team announced. The two teams will push the missed game back to Thursday and play a doubleheader.

Prior to the game, thunderstorms were already forcing the Tigers to request fans to leave their seats and head for cover with storms projected to hit the area for an extensive time period on Wednesday evening. 

The two sides were already scheduled to meet on Thursday.

The Yankees (95-51, 8.5 GA in AL East) jumped out to a six-run lead before a back-and-forth game ensued, ultimately suffering a 12-11 loss to the Tigers (43-100, 45.5 GB in AL Central, 40.5 GB for second Wild Card) Tuesday at Comerica Park in Detroit. >> Box Score

Five takeaways from Tuesday's game

1) Pitching ultimately failed the Yankees. LHP Nestor Cortes Jr. (5-0, 5.23 ERA) initially came out strong as the Yankees' opener, pitching a pair of scoreless innings in his first career start before he went back out for the third frame and ran into trouble. The Tigers caught up and tagged Cortes, who struckout two and walked one, for four runs (two earned) on six hits before manager Aaron Boone made the move to remove the southpaw with one out in the third inning and the Yankees leading 6-2.

When James Paxton handed the ball off to manager Aaron Boone after yet another solid start on Monday, he may have walked off the Fenway Park diamond as the Yankees' Game 1 ALDS starter. 

Of course, Boone and the Yankees still have time to think about that, but with the way Paxton has been pitching -- and how the Yankees hit when he's on the mound -- it seems like the right choice to make. 

Paxton pitched to the tune of no runs allowed on four hits and three walks while striking out seven over 6.2 innings of work. His previous outing was even better with just one hit allowed with 12 strikeouts over seven innings against the Rangers in the Bronx. 

After they took their four-game series against the rival Boston Red Sox last Friday through Monday, the Yankees (95-50, 9.0 GA in AL East) hit the middle of their 10-game road trip with Tuesday's 6:40 p.m. start vs. the Detroit Tigers (42-100, 45.5 GB in AL Central, 41.0 GB for second Wild Card) at Comerica Park.

Yankees notes

Since they dropped three straight games in an Aug. 20-22 sweep against the Athletics in Oakland, the Yankees have won their past five series. The Yankees dropped last Friday's series opener to Red Sox but then proceeded to bury their rivals as they won the past three games by a 20-6 margin and eliminated Boston mathematically from AL East contention. They did their damage in Monday's series finale, a 5-0 shutout, behind a pair of solo home runs to get on the board -- Austin Romine's fifth-inning shot down the right-field line and Gio Urshela's seven-inning bomb over the left-field Green Monster -- before DJ LeMahieu and Gleyber Torres tacked on a run apiece in the seventh and Luke Voit added another in the ninth.