Are the Red Sox gifting the Yankees a Trojan Horse?

"It's all possible thanks to a very odd, but also potentially very advantageous dynamic for the Red Sox. There's a pocket forming around Boston's position where they're both increasingly likely to make the playoffs (the Magic Number is down to one), but also increasingly unlikely to win enough games to where they could move up and open the postseason at home."

"This means there's a good chance the Sox could spend Saturday and Sunday just getting their house in order, not burning bullets, and setting everything up the way they want ahead of Tuesday's playoff opener in destination unknown. They've already got their starting rotation set up for this with Garrett Crochet pitching and winning last night. He's now lined up to go again on Tuesday on an extra day's rest,"

"Turning back to New York, they're doing the same thing with their rotation. They threw Max Fried last night, aiming him for Game 1 of the Wild Card round on Tuesday with an extra day's rest, and they've got Carlos Rodon taking the ball tonight in line for a Game 2 next Wednesday. But now, all of a sudden, they could have a division to play for on Sunday (and potentially Monday)."

Red Sox wins over the Blue Jays have tightened the AL Wild Card standings and ended Toronto's solo hold on the AL East. Boston's Magic Number is down to one, creating a position where the team is likely to make the playoffs but unlikely to win enough to open at home. The Red Sox can rest key pitchers over the weekend while lining up Garrett Crochet and Brayan Bello on extra rest for the Wild Card. The Yankees have used a similar rotation plan with Max Fried and Carlos Rodon but risk burning resources if the division remains contested. Toronto's tiebreaker over New York makes Yankees' failures consequential.

Read at Over the Monster