What happened: Gerrit Cole has allowed seven home runs across his last two starts, against the Padres and the Mets, with the Yankees losing both games. New York's magic number for a playoff berth is down to one, with a win over the Twins on Monday or a Blue Jays loss to Detroit sending the club back to the postseason. Clarke Schmidt has completed his rehab assignment from Tommy John surgery and is set to be activated during this week's series in Minnesota.

Why it matters: Cole is the presumptive third starter in a playoff rotation, making his recent homer trouble a priority to sort out before a potential winner-take-all Wild Card game. Schmidt's activation would reinforce a bullpen that has otherwise ranked among the league's best, shoring up the back end of relief innings. New York took two of three from the Mets and controls its own path to October.

What to watch: New York hosts Minnesota on Monday, with a win or a Blue Jays loss to Detroit sending the Yankees back to the postseason. Schmidt's activation during the series would add an established arm to the bullpen.