After nearly 140 games, the 2025 Yankees reach the Gauntlet

 

Welp, here it is. 

The Gauntlet. 

It starts Tuesday.

Three games against Houston. 

Three against Toronto. 

Three vs Detroit. 

Three at Fenway. 

They all despise us, their hatreds burning hotter than a billion suns. 

Houston cheats. Everybody knows it. They stole a world series. They used video technology and garbage cans. They'll should be in jail. They have no shame. Next winter, don't be surprised if they invoke a redistricting plan for the NL West. (They'll play Colorado, Washington, White Sox and Toledo.) 

Toronto has L'll Vlad, who vowed to never join the Yankees, never have anything to do with the Yankees, never even smile in the Yankees' direction... until it became financially inconvenient, so he said he was just kidding. Now he hates us again? He's lapped me.

Detroit has Gleyber - seething, angry Gleyber - who still cannot accept that he sleepwalked his way out of a career in NY. He could have been a lifelong Yankee. It was his fault, not ours. 

And then Boston... smug, frat-boy Boston. The Redsocks should ditch 2025 and send their young, superstar lineup directly to Cooperstown. 

Four three-game series, each one a glimpse of October. 

After 137 games, we will finally gauge the destiny of this team.

Yes, it will be followed by two weeks of cupcakes. Yes, as patsy-punchers, the Yankees will still be able to stumble into the playoffs - and quickly disappear. 

But make no mistake: This is the Gauntlet.