Yankees still focused on winning the AL East after clinching postseason berth

Justin Backer

Yankees still focused on winning the AL East after clinching postseason berth image

The New York Yankees clinched another trip to the postseason after their dramatic 3-2 walk-off victory over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday. Despite that, the Yankees aren’t settling for less.

At 89-68, the Yankees have clinched a playoff spot. However, the AL East division crown is still up for grabs. The Yankees currently sit just one game behind the first-place Toronto Blue Jays for the division lead, giving the Yankees more motivation to keep their foot on the gas for the final five games of the season. 

Yankees remain keen on winning the AL East

Following the emphatic win, many players spoke with The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner about the team’s goal going forward.

“It’s always great to play October baseball, but it means even more to go to the World Series,” infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. said. “Right now, this is just the first step. We’re going to keep on going.”

“This October, we’re coming to prove a point,” Chisholm Jr. added.

Outfielder Aaron Judge also said that the Yankees’ are still aiming to secure the division title.

“Our ultimate goal is to win the division,” Judge said. “It’s still right there for us. We’re excited about getting in, but we got bigger things ahead of us.”

The Yankees will look to right the ship in October this season after a disappointing showing in last year’s World Series. The Yankees lost in five games to the Los Angeles Dodgers last year, and they’ll look to not only make it back to the World Series, but finish the job this time around. 

Justin Backer

Justin Backer is a freelance writer for The Sporting News. A graduate of Florida Atlantic University, Justin began his sports writing career in 2023 and has previously written for Empire Sports Media and currently covers FAU Athletics for The Palm Beach Post.