BALTIMORE — As of Monday morning, the Yankees’ magic number to clinch the American League East against their top challenger, the Rays, stood at 43.
Less clear and quite possibly more important? Their magic number to eliminate the Grim Reaper.
Will this 2019 Yankees norm continue to be the norm all the way through? Must they capture their first title since 2009 thanks to the efforts of future World Series Most Valuable Player Tyler Wade?
Monday went down, at least in the first take, as a good day for the Yankees. Gleyber Torres, whom the team removed from its 7-4 victory over the Red Sox on Sunday night to get tested for apparent abdominal pain, reported no problem and started as the designated hitter Monday night against the Orioles, as he tried to resume his one-man attack on Oriole Park at Camden Yards.