TORONTO — The Yankees know the importance of their next two games.
After losing the opener of a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 on Monday, they know the final two games of the series at Rogers Centre are vital.
“You’ve got to keep it close,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.
The Yankees dropped to 3 1/2 games behind the first-place Blue Jays and have 13 games to play.
“I think we’re three back in the loss column now,” Girardi said. “You’re hoping that you could win (Monday) and get it down to one and we didn’t. These are really important games.
“I think they’re as important as any games we’ve played all year when you talk about trying to win the division.”
The Yankees still are likely to win an AL wild-card spot but that would mean playing a one-game playoff with the other wild-card team to determine which teams would advance to the ALDS.
“The only thing on our mind is coming back out here (Tuesday) and getting a win,” catcher Brian McCann said. “We’re right in the middle of this thing.”
The Yankees used to be right on top, not long ago. They were first or shared first in the division for 41 days July 3-Aug. 12. They led the AL East by as many as seven games July 27-28.
The Blue Jays were fourth, eight games out of first, on July 28.
The Yankees, who lost three of four games to the Blue Jays at home Sept. 11-13, have a 5-12 record against Toronto this season.
The Yankees know what they are up against.