Both the Red Sox and the Yankees have both been a staple of the playoffs the last few years. One team will win the American League East and the other gets in via the Wild Card. This year it looks as if only one of them have a shot. But to be that team they are going to have to win their division because right now the White Sox have a seven game lead on New York in the Wild Card standings. The two teams (Yankees and White Sox) play each other right out of the box following the All-Star Break in a three game series at Yankee Stadium. This has the potential to either move closer and almost put out in July. If the Yankees were swept they would be possibly ten or more out in July depending on how both teams finish going into the All-Star break. They would then need to solely focus on catching Boston.

 
 As for Boston coming out of the break and the rest of July. They get a steady diet of west coast teams in a eight game home stand that includes Oakland, Seattle, Kansas City, and Texas before going out west for six games back in Oakland and Seattle.

  The White Sox also have a huge July. After playing in New York for three games, they then head to Detroit, the best team in baseball right now, the team they are also only one game back of currently for a three game home stand.  They play a three game series with Boston this weekend as well.  So July is going to be a big month this season and the trade deadline is getting closer as well.

  Detroit will be playing the divisional teams all month with the exception of a three game home stand with the Athlectics, a team that just took 2 of 3 from the Tigers. With Detroit playing divisional teams they may just separate the teams a little more or bring it a little closer. They need to take advantage of Chicago in by winning the series with them. Chicago has already taken 5 of 6 on the season.  Detroit really needs to win that series, they aren't must wins, but they need to prove they can beat the White Sox in a series.  They may have to steal Bobby Abreu from Philadelphia to do it though.