By way of being played in the year 2020, the New York Yankees played one of their strangest seasons to date. With the 60-game regular season and the participation-award wildcard seeds, I suppose it was bound to be an odd one.

With or without, New York was streaky this season. Posting a record of 16-6 through their first 22 games, followed by an abysmal 5-15, and stamped hard with a 10-5 to end the shortened campaign. But here we are. Back in October, almost as though we are reserved a spot and predicted yearly to lose in game 7 of the American League Championship Series. The good news is that this year, Houston probably will not be cheating, though their sweep of the Minnesota Twins was suspiciously good for the sub-.500 ball club, and we have their ace, Gerrit Cole.

Now I am not sure when or if this piece will go into print, but today, as I am writing it, it is Monday, October 5. The Yankees are playing the other best team in baseball, the Tampa Bay Rays. Tampa has been terrible for years and finally figured it out with this roster. Their pitching arsenal, armed with the Voldemortesque Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Charlie Morton is shiny no doubt, and their hitting has been able to come up with some measly run support when it has been needed. With all of this, I am worried.

The Yankees can and will hit though. I do have faith. With Gerrit Cole on the hill tonight for game one and plate appearance after plate appearance stacked with baseballs equivalent to Poseidon and Zeus, these Rays can be cut down.

For my prediction, I believe that the Yankees will take game 1 handily, delivering swift blows to Snell and moving him to the clubhouse late in the fourth or early in the fifth. I see a toss-up game 2 if New York can hold the Rays below 4 runs, they will take another home. After this, it will only be a matter of time before the bombers swallow up what’s left of the wounded Rays and spit them out en route to another series in the warm San Diego air.

Yankees in 4.