Yankees drop in latest season projections with dismal west coast trip
The Yankees' road trip out west was overwhelmed by injury scares and lackluster pitching, and the latest odds and figures were impacted by New York's worst stretch of the season. Coming off a six-game losing streak at the hands of the Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics, the Yankees (38-29) currently have a 71-percent chance of making the postseason and a 43-percent chance of clinching the American League East (best odds in division), according to FiveThirtyEight’s most recent season projections. New York's odds to win the World Series have also dropped, as they're now tied with the defending champion Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox at seven-percent apiece. Based on win-loss simulations, FiveThirtyEight projects the Yankees to finish with 90 regular season wins, a four-win difference from last week's rankings (94 wins on June 12). Their postseason odds significantly dipped by 12-percent, compared to last week's 83-percent, as did the Yankees' division odds (60-percent on June 12). Entering Monday, Boston has won seven of its last 10 games, and currently sits in a tie with New York for first place in the American League East standings. While the Yankees still hold the best division odds, Boston trails by just four-percent (39-percent), and their odds to reach the postseason are only three-percent lower than New York's (68-percent). However, FiveThirtyEight projects the Red Sox to finish in second place with 89 wins, followed by the Tampa Bay Rays in third (82 wins), Toronto Blue Jays in fourth (79 wins) and Baltimore Orioles in last (77 wins). Around baseball, the forecast also lists the Los Angeles Dodgers to win a league-best 101-games (18-percent chance at World Series) and the Houston Astros to win an American League-best 100 games (17-percent chance at World Series). The Yankees begin a six-game home stand this Tuesday with three-game sets against the Angels and Texas Rangers.
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