Late series could have Minny implications

THE YANKEES’ Sept. 18-20 series hosting the Twins is setting up as one of the most important sets of the season.

The weekend began with the Yankees leading Minnesota by just one game for the top AL wild-card spot.

And if matters remain tight after that series in The Bronx, the Twins could gain an advantage because they will have 10 games remaining with seven against the Tigers — who have traded five of their best players over the past five weeks ( Justin Upton, Justin Verlander, Justin Wilson, J.D. Martinez and Alex Avila) — and three against the Indians, who at that point should have the AL Central sewn up and, unless home-field advantage is in play, will just be prepping for the playoffs.

This is the fourth straight year Verlander has pitched better in the second half than the first. His trade to Houston provided just the kind of horse it so badly needed. From July 19Aug. 31, the Astros had just six starts of seven or more innings, or the same as Verlander had by himself in that period. Plus, Verlander went eight innings twice, which no Houston starter accomplished.

The concern is Verlander has become more homer susceptible the past two years, in particular, and he is moving from spacious Comerica Park to the more intimate Minute Maid Park. This season Verlander has allowed just seven homers and a .312 slugging percentage at Comerica and 16 homers and a .452 slugging on the road.

Curtis Granderson had just five hits in his first 52 plate appearances as a Dodger — four were homers.

Detroit’s sell-off, particularly of Upton and Verlander on Aug. 31, fully signaled a sea change for the franchise. They added prospects, saved roughly $136 million in future payroll on just those two and now are in full rebuild, even as they continue to try to live through the onerous long-term bills for Miguel Cabrera and Jordan Zimmermann.

It was a shift that needed to be made and also was more predictable when owner Mike Ilitch died in February. Ilitch so badly wanted to win a championship in his lifetime for himself and his city that he supported payrolls not fitting the market. That effort failed. But the Tigers played a lot of huge games in the latter portion of his ownership because of his willingness to spend and so this is a hat tip to a no concluded era.