The Yankees are on the verge of locking up a postseason berth, with a rare chance at taking the AL East crown too. On paper, though, it appears that they should clinch a wild card spot early this week. However, they still trail the Blue Jays by two games in the division with just six games left on the schedule.

New York has been red-hot since August 6. They own the best record in baseball at 28-14 over the last month. However, while it feels like they’re peaking at just the right moment, they still need to look up to the ongoing Red Sox-Blue Jays series to ensure their postseason path. And manager Aaron Boone just made a careful announcement about whom to support between the two.

“I don’t know. I always say careful what you wish for. Like you might be rooting for the wrong thing even when you think it’s so obvious… I’m like, you may be rooting for the wrong thing because they may beat them and knock them out, and we were supposed to beat them, you know? So, like, handle what we can handle.” Boone said in a podcast with Talkin’ Yanks.

That statement by Boone absolutely makes sense.

The Yankees are two games behind the Blue Jays and three games ahead of the Red Sox. So while the Blue Jays going down against the Red Sox could help the Yankees go for the divisional title, the Red Sox winning it big would tie them with the Bombers. Hence, as Boone said, the Bronx Nation should be careful about what they wish for.

This season, the Yankees played 13 games against the Red Sox and won just 4. With that record, it’s no surprise that Boone wants to stay careful. The Yankees are set to face easy rivals this week, with the White Sox and Orioles lined up. And that brings hope for a last-minute turnaround in the AL East.

The Yankees just peaked at the right time

If the Yankees can pull off a division title, the payoff would be huge. A first-round win would send them straight to the AL Division Series, sparing them the grind of a best-of-three Wild Card Series. This would offer their pitching staff a chance to rest and reset. And it could set them up for a cleaner path to the Fall Classic.

However, the reality is not as easy as it is said.

According to FanGraphs, the Yankees have just a 13% chance of taking the divisional title. On paper, the Yankees look like they could still make things work out of this 13%.

They’ve had the most productive offense in the league this year (1st in runs and home runs), and with their recent surge, the Yankees just peaked at the right time. So, for New York to claim the East, they’ll need to keep their hot streak alive while banking on the Blue Jays slipping in their final series. But Boone is not taking any side for now.

So, the quest for the podium in the AL East is still on. And this week will determine who among the Yankees, Red Sox, and Blue Jays is actually making it.