Yankees at Athletics
The New York Yankees' already-slim chances in the American League East took a big hit with a disappointing homestand against two teams with .401 winning percentages. They turn their attention to a road trip that will be critical for the AL wild-card situation, beginning Monday with the first of three games at the Oakland Athletics.
The Yankees went 3-4 at home against the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers, capped by an 11-7 defeat Sunday that left them 7 1/2 games out in the AL East. New York holds a 4 1/2-game lead on the Athletics for the first wild-card spot and home-field advantage in the play-in game after Oakland got past the Seattle Mariners - the Yankees' next opponent on this road trip - by an 8-2 margin Sunday. Stephen Piscotty homered twice to pace the Athletics, who opened up a 5 1/2-game edge on the Mariners. Oakland is 27-19 in its last 46 games against New York, which turns to veteran southpaw CC Sabathia in the series opener opposite Trevor Cahill.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ESPN, YES (New York), NBCS California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH CC Sabathia (7-5, 3.36 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Trevor Cahill (5-3, 3.60)
Sabathia is on a run of three straight quality starts, lasting six innings in each outing and giving up five runs total. He has 33 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings over a span of four starts, including 20 in 11 2/3 frames in his last two road appearances. The 38-year-old has a 5.20 ERA in 16 career starts in Oakland.
In two starts since spinning seven scoreless innings in a win over Houston on Aug. 18, Cahill is 0-1 with an 8.64 ERA. He lasted a season-low 3 1/3 innings at Houston on Wednesday while walking a season-high six batters. Andrew McCutchen is 6-for-14 with three doubles and a home run against the 30-year-old Cahill.
WALK-OFFS
1. McCutchen is 0-for-7 with two strikeouts in two games since being acquired in a trade with San Francisco.
2. Piscotty is 7-for-19 with three homers and 10 RBIs during a five-game hitting streak.
3. Yankees 1B Luke Voit went deep in Sunday's loss and has five homers in his last 10 games.