MILWAUKEE — This is evolving into a playoffs out of Central casting for the Yankees.
They have yet to play a game, yet it hardly could be going better. Their October nemesis is out, and what is forming in their way is the division — the AL Central — that they all but have the deed on; such is their ownership (especially recently at this time of year).
Yeah, we know: The short-series format makes October a crapshoot. But at some point that has to become just a crap excuse, particularly this year if the Yankees do not, at minimum, go to their first World Series since 2009.
Bobby Witt Jr. and the upstart Royals, who swept the Orioles in the AL wild-card round, will face the Yankees in the ALDS, starting on Saturday.AP
They entered with the best record in the league and, thus, home-field advantage through at least the ALCS — if they survive. Now, the foe that has been in their way, in their heads and under their skin is gone two days into the playoffs.
The Astros, despite their home-field edge in the wild-card series, were eliminated by losing two straight to the upstart Tigers. It means their streak of appearing in the ALCS seven straight years is over.
In that run, the Astros went to the World Series three times — in each of those years they defeated the Yankees in the ALCS. If you want to add the 2015 single-game wild card, the teams had faced each other four times in the postseason — and Houston won each.
That is a decade of dominance. Would this year have been different? The Yankees began the season by sweeping the Astros four straight at Minute Maid Park and went 6-1 overall against Houston. But the season series ended May 9. The Astros were 13-24, better in the AL than just the White Sox en route to Chicago’s historic year of losing. From there onward, the Astros were an MLB-best 75-49.
If they were looming in the ALCS awaiting the Yanks again, was what happened in March, April and May really going to matter over what has happened in all these recent Octobers?
Aaron Judge looks on from the Yankees dugout during an Oct. 1, 2024 practice at the Stadium.Robert Sabo for New York Post
Now, the Yankees do not have to face down those ghosts.
And it is not just that the Astros are out — as huge as that is. It is who is in. With the Royals upsetting the Orioles, also in two games, the three non-Yankees teams left in the AL playoffs all come from the Central. The Tigers will play the Guardians while the Yankees, beginning Saturday night, will host the Royals.
So the Astros and AL East runner-up Orioles are out. Since 2017, the Yankees have eliminated an AL Central team five times in five tries, going 12-4 against them. In that same period, they have faced the Astros or an AL East team six times and lost all six, going 5-15.
This season, the only AL East team the Yankees did not have a winning record against was the Orioles, going 5-8.
Meanwhile, the Yankees were 24-7 against the AL Central, including 13-6 vs. the Royals, Tigers and Guardians. That was the best record by any team against any division this year.
Are the Royals a livewire? Sure, Seth Lugo made arguably the best start this season against the Yankees and Cole Ragans is the kind of lefty who has bedeviled the Yanks all year. Bobby Witt Jr. is the best all-around player in the majors and Salvador Perez, the last link to the Royals’ 2015 World Series win over the Mets, remains a dangerous hitter. The deadline acquisition of Lucas Erceg has given Kansas City a high-octane closer.
But with all of that, this regular season the Royals were 12-1 against those historically horrible White Sox and 74-75 vs. every other team. The Yankees have Gerrit Cole, Aaron Judge and Juan Soto at their peak, two players (Luis Gil, Austin Wells) likely to finish in the AL top five for Rookie of the Year, Giancarlo Stanton at his time of year, better health than most and home-field advantage until at least the World Series.
Will Vest #19 and Jake Rogers #34 of the Detroit Tigers celebrate after defeating the Houston Astros 5-2 during Game 2 of the Wild Card Series at Minute Maid ParkGetty Images
No excuses. No crapshoot. Not in a year when they are yet to play a postseason game, but are already receiving advantages.
Not when home or away, the AL playoffs have turned into their Central Park.
