Today on Pinstripe Alley - 8/25/21

There’s no way around this fact: the Yankees’ 11-game winning streak is facing its ultimate test. All the good vibes of this hot run will now clash with the bad vibes that seemingly plague the Yankees every time they visit the A’s at the Coliseum. It doesn’t matter what the corporate branding happens to be at the time — the Yankees have fallen ill and more notably, have gone 1-9 in Oakland since the start of 2017.

The A’s are on their own shaky run, so they’ll be looking to reverse their own fortunes. The Yankees have today off to rest, but hopefully, they’ll find a way to keep the pressure on Oakland and maybe even extend the winning streak to 12 on Thursday. We can dream!

Today on the site, John will consider how the Yankees might use their two extra September roster spots, Andres will praise the work of pitching coach Matt Blake, and Erin will discuss Giancarlo Stanton’s sharp turnaround from his slumping July. Later on, Jesse will explain why Andrew Heaney might actually be a pretty good reliever, and John will return to take a closer look at a hypothetical defense proposed by MLB Network.

Today’s Matchup

Off-day

Fun Questions:

1. Let’s change up the vibe: Do you have a favorite memory of the Yankees playing in Oakland? Do you have any?

2. What was going through your mind during the stressful ninth inning last night?