The New York Yankees will have to wait at least another day to celebrate their impending division title.
The AL East-best Yankees came entered play on Wednesday needing either a victory over the Los Angeles Angels or a loss by the Tampa Bay Rays to the NL-best Los Angeles Dodgers to officially clinch the division. Unfortunately, the Yankees could not take care of business and suffered a 3-2 defeat to the Angels several hours before the Rays-Dodgers game.
Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reported that the Yankees spent three hours watching the latter game on the clubhouse television. Bryan Hoch of MLB.com even added that workers came out of the clubhouse at one point to get more plastic sheeting in anticipation of a celebration. Lo and behold though, the Rays rallied from a two-run deficit in the top of the ninth and pulled out the 8-7 win over the Dodgers in 11 innings.
The Yankees still seem likely to clinch the division crown, their first since 2012, when play resumes again on Thursday. However, between their failed celebration prep and the news that they just received, it hasn’t exactly been the best week for them.
