Astros Rally Past Yankees 8-7, Maintain AL East Lead

The New York Yankees and Houston Astros are gearing up for a pivotal series with playoff implications, as both teams vie for division leads and postseason positioning. The Yankees activated Austin Slater, a right-handed hitter acquired in late July, to bolster their bench for the upcoming series against the Blue Jays and Astros, though he is expected to be a bench player initially. The Astros recently welcomed back right-hander Luis Garcia from injury, who performed well in his return despite concerns about reduced velocity, while Framber Valdez and Cristian Javier are set to start key games in the series against the Yankees. Recent games have seen dramatic moments, including an Astros comeback victory over the Yankees, with tensions flaring as Yankees manager Aaron Boone was ejected during the contest. Both teams have strong pitching staffs, with the Yankees relying on Max Fried and the Astros counting on their rotation to maintain momentum as the season approaches its final stretch. The matchups represent a high-stakes showdown as the Yankees aim to keep pressure on the AL East race and the Astros seek to protect their AL West lead.