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The New York Yankees haven’t looked as impressive this season as they have in previous years, but they just proved they can flip a terrifying switch no other team can.

The Yankees roughed up AL Cy Young favorite Shane Bieber and the Cleveland Indians in Game 1 of their three-game series. The “Bronx Bombers” showed everyone how they got that nickname in the first place, hitting four home runs and scoring 12 runs in the blowout win. A healthy Yankees team proved why they’re the team to beat in the MLB this season.

The Yankees had an underwhelming regular season

The Yankees entered the 2020 MLB season as one of the prolific favorites to win the World Series, as they have in each of the past four years. They were coming off a 103-59 regular-season record and an AL East title from 2019.

New York started off hot, winning eight of their first nine games, but the injury bug hit hard in the middle of the season. By Sept. 8, the Yankees were 21-21 and on a losing skid of seven games in their last eight.

The Yankees finished the regular season with a 33-27 record, but they lost their AL East crown to the Tampa Bay Rays. They didn’t even end up with a top-four seed in the American League, so they were forced to travel to Cleveland for their first-round playoff series.

The Yankees crushed the Indians in their first playoff game of 2020

With the Yankees struggling at points throughout the season and starting the postseason against the AL Cy Young favorite, many believed New York was in danger of a first-round exit.

Well, not so fast.

The Yankees exploded for 15 hits, four homers, and 12 runs against Bieber and the Indians in Game 1. Four Yankees recorded multi-hit games, including Brett Gardner and Gleyber Torres, who had three and four base knocks, respectively. Every starter recorded a hit except Aaron Hicks, but he still walked twice and scored two runs.

Gerrit Cole, who struggled himself in a few starts this year, was masterful. He allowed just two runs in seven innings pitched and recorded 13 strikeouts in the win.

This version of the Yankees doesn’t always show up, but when it does, it’s impossible to beat.

The Yankees proved they should be the favorites to win the World Series

The Los Angeles Dodgers are the current betting favorites to win the 2020 World Series, but the Yankees might have something to say about that after last night’s performance.

With the lethal offense in New York and Cole now as the elite ace they haven’t had in years, there isn’t a team in the MLB better than the Yankees right now. The combination of power at the plate, a sturdy bullpen, and a Cy Young starter can’t be found anywhere else but LA.

The Yankees and Dodgers should meet later this year in the 2020 World Series, and boy would that be a fun one.

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Staff Writer

Jack Dougherty

Writing professionally since 2015, Jack Dougherty spent six years as a sportswriter with publications such as GoPSUSports.com, the Centre Daily Times, and the Associated Press before joining Sportscasting in 2020. He covers the NBA, the NFL, and the world of golf extensively and has added expertise on any team located in or around his hometown of Philadelphia. Yes, that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, the Philadelphia 76ers, and Philadelphia Phillies.

When Jack isn’t writing about sports, he’s watching them or playing them as he regularly heads to the gym for some pickup basketball or the golf course to hit the links. He’s also an avid participant in the sports betting scene who worked at a casino sportsbook for a year and learned the ins and outs of the industry before bringing his expertise to Sportscasting with one excellent gambling recommendation after another.