Alex Rodriguez may have inadvertently jinxed the New York Yankees with some comments he made about their playoff matchup.
Following Game 1 of the NLCS at Dodger Stadium Sunday, FOX’s MLB crew was discussing the upcoming ALCS between the Yankees and Cleveland Guardians. Analysts Derek Jeter and Rodriguez, both former Yankees All-Stars, said the matchup was a favorable one for the Yankees.
“You never have an easy road to the World Series. But if the Yankees could pick and choose their opponents, I think they got the two that they would pick and choose,” Jeter said. “Because of the success that they’ve had against the AL Central.”
The Yankees went 5-2 against the Royals in the regular season and 4-2 against the Guardians. Additionally, they were 6-0 against the Twins, 5-1 against the White Sox and 4-2 against the Tigers. Altogether, the Yankees had a .774 winning percentage against the AL Central in the 2024 regular season.
Rodriguez went ahead and said what Jeter implied.
“You don’t have to say it; I’ll say it. They have an easy road to the World Series. It’s never easy, right? But this is the clearest path in 20 years,” Rodriguez said.
Here is the video clip, which you can bet the Guardians will be using for motivation:
"You don't have to say it, I'll say it. They have an easy road to the World Series"@AROD talks about the Yankees path to the World Series this year pic.twitter.com/TtIt3ok59E
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 14, 2024
The Yankees won the AL East and had the best record in the AL at 94-68. In the ALDS, they faced an 86-76 Kansas City Royals team and won the series in four games. Now they will face the Guardians, who went 92-69 in the regular season, which was the second-best mark in the AL.
Maybe that won’t be such an easy matchup for the Yankees, who haven’t been to the World Series since winning it all in 2009. The Bronx Bombers have lost in the ALCS five times since then.
