Yankees head to Houston in appropriate style

The New York Yankees have been back in form since losing three games at home last week to the rival Boston Red Sox. Since that dreadful performance, the Yankees had won seven games in a row before they lost Sunday’s series finale to the Chicago White Sox.

Chicago’s Lenyn Sosa broke a 2-2 tie with a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning and the Yankees left the South Side of Chicago after absorbing a 3-2 defeat.

However, that defeat did not put a damper on superstar Aaron Judge and the rest of the Yankees. They immediately headed to Texas after the game to take on a series with the Houston Astros. As the Yankees left the White Sox’ home field, they were dressed in typical Western outfits, regularly worn by Texas residents. That theme is exemplified by Texas-based movies and television programs.

It would seem that the Yankees are in a positive mood and the loss Sunday did nothing to diminish the optimism of the team.

Yankees about to hit challenging stretch

Yankees head to Houston in appropriate style — Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

As the season heads into the final month of the season, the Yankees find themselves in second place in the American League East, 3 games behind the division-leading Toronto Blue Jays.

They are also the lead Wild Card team in the American League, as they have 76-61 record. That gives them a half-game lead over the Red Sox (76-62) and a 3-game advantage over the Seattle Mariners (73-64). The Mariners sit in the third and final Wild Card spot.

The Yankees would love to overtake the Blue Jays for first place in the division, but they are about to enter a difficult portion of the schedule. They will play 3 games in Houston before returning home to play the Blue Jays in a 3-game series.

After the series with Toronto, the American League Central-leading Tigers visit Yankee Stadium for 3 more games. The Tigers currently own the best record in the American League and are currently on track for a bye in the first round of the playoffs.

Finally, after the series with Detroit, the Yankees will engage the Red Sox in a 3-game series at Fenway Park. The Red Sox have dominated the season series between the two teams.

The Yankees have tremendous firepower with Judge, Trent Grisham, Cody Bellinger, Jazz Chisholm and Ben Rice all capable of hitting the long ball. Judge hit his 43rd home run in the loss to the White Sox, while Grisham, Bellinger Chisholm and Rice all have 22 home runs or more.

Steve Silverman has been covering the NFL for more than 35 years, and his writing has appeared in ESPN Magazine, Bleacher Report, CBS Sports, Pro Football Weekly, and Forbes.com. He has written 10 books, including “Who’s Better, Who’s Best in the NFL.”