WASHINGTON — The Yankees team that the Orioles will face this weekend in the Bronx will look remarkably different from the one they saw on their previous trip to New York nearly six weeks ago.
"That was a different team," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "They have a whole different look. There may not be a team you'd less like to play right now than the Yankees. They've got a nice karma around them."
The Yankees focused on the future at the nonwaiver trade deadline, dealing All-Star outfielder Carlos Beltran and lockdown relievers Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller, and calling up a crop of prospects to get their feet wet as the season winds down.
Alex Rodriguez is gone after his abrupt retirement announcement. For veterans like catcher Brian McCann and Severna Park native Mark Teixeira, who also announced his retirement, roles have changed to give way to a youth movement led by catcher Gary Sanchez, first baseman Tyler Austin and outfielder Aaron Judge.
The Yankees have won nine of their past 14 games and are 13-9 in August, moving into wild-card contention. They head home after winning their third straight road series for the first time this season.
The Orioles entered Thursday's game in the lead for the second American League wild-card spot by 2½ games over the Detroit Tigers, but the Yankees were within earshot, five games back.
After taking three of four from the Washington Nationals, the Orioles hope to carry that momentum to New York.
"We took it to a good team and tonight they took it to us," center fielder Adam Jones said. "I think overall it was a good series. We played very well. Pitchers threw the ball extremely well. Now, let's go to New York and do the same thing. Important series."
The Orioles lost three of four during their first trip to Yankee Stadium this season, scoring just six runs in the series.
The Orioles' final series of the regular season will also take place in the Bronx from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2, possibly with more on the line.