Yankees agree with Verlander: Road to pennant goes through Houston

TAMPA — CC Sabathia didn’t cede the AL title to the Astros in the wake of Justin Verlander saying Wednesday the Astros are the team to beat.

Nevertheless, the veteran Yankees lefty acknowledged Verlander wasn’t wrong, and Sabathia’s feeling was shared by Aaron Boone and Adam Warren.

“He is not lying,’’ Sabathia said of Verlander on Thurs- day morning in the Yankees’ clubhouse at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

Verlander said, “I think we’re the team to beat. I think the American League goes through us,’’ about the defending World Series champions.

Do Verlander’s words serve as extra motivation for the Yankees?

“No, we know how good they are,’’ Sabathia said. “We played all the way to the end [ALCS Game 7] against those guys, so we know how good they are. Obviously, they won the World Series so he has every right to say that. He should feel like that.’’

Boone wasn’t in the Yankees’ dugout last year but echoed Sabathia’s feelings.

“I would say he is right. ... They are the world champions, and I think they have done a lot, as we sit here today, to improve their club,’’ Boone said. “There are a number of teams who have that goal in mind. Certainly, we are one of those teams. ... We know if we are to reach our peak I guess that is one of the teams we will have to go through.’’ Warren fell in line. “They beat us last year. It would be foolish to say otherwise,’’ he said.