The New York Yankees have managed to catch the Boston Red Sox in the standings, accomplishing a feat that seemed highly improbable less than a month ago.

With three-quarters of the 2021 MLB season in the books, it’s now the Bronx Bombers who are in the driver’s seat to claim the American League’s top wild-card spot.

By sweeping a doubleheader against their archrivals at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, New York inched one percentage point ahead of Boston in the wild-card standings. The Yankees held off the Red Sox by two runs in a pair of nail biters, effectively creating a three-way tie for the AL’s final two playoff spots.

The Yankees and Oakland Athletics are currently the AL’s wild-card teams, sharing identical records. The Red Sox have one more win but also one more loss than New York and Oakland.

The Toronto Blue Jays are a distant fourth in the wild-card race. The Tampa Bay Rays have a somewhat comfortable five-game lead atop the AL East, likely leaving the wild card as the only pathway to the playoffs for the Yankeees and Red Sox.

It wasn’t long ago that Boston was in control of the division. On July 25, the Red Sox overcame a four-run deficit in the eighth inning to win their third game of a four-game series against the Yankees at Fenway Park. Boston extended its first-place lead over New York to nine games, giving them the best record in the entire AL.

Since defeating the Blue Jays on July 26, the Red Sox have crumbled. Boston has gone 7-14 over its last 21 games.

The Red Sox’s decision not to upgrade its pitching staff at the trade deadline was viewed as a surprise, and it has proven to be costly. With a 4.97 ERA over their last 28 games, Boston ranks 13th among 15 AL teams.

The Yankees have an AL-best 3.30 ERA in the last month, despite losing three starters and their closer for periods of time because of injuries and COVID-19 protocols. Trade deadline acquisitions of Joey Gallo and Anthony Rizzo have injected life into the lineup. The Rays are the only AL team that has scored more runs than the Yankees in the last 15 days.

The Yankees lead MLB with a 22-8 record in their last 30 games.

Boston is 10-5 against New York this season with four matchups remaining. The Red Sox have clinched the season series and would have home-field advantage over the Yankees if they meet in the AL Wild-Card Game.

The two rivals might ultimately be headed for another memorable winner-take-all playoff game.

New York Yankees
Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees, Luke Voit #59 of the New York Yankees and Giancarlo Stanton #27 of the New York Yankees high-five teammates after the Yankees defeated the Boston Red Sox in game two of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium on August 17, 2021 in New York City. Adam Hunger/Getty Images
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