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TORONTO — As this season has progressed, the Yankees defense has tightened, their ability to impact games on the bases has improved, and Aaron Boone has grown comfortable with an endgame relief strategy.

It is all valuable. All part of why the Yankees still are ticking in October.

But at their essence, they are still the Bronx Bombers. The Yankees, as much as ever, are a homer-hitting team. It is their identity. Their lifeblood. Their separator.

And Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are the flex brothers. They — more than anyone on a team that produced the second-most homers in Yankees history — repre

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