The New York Yankees return home facing elimination in the American League Division Series after back-to-back losses to the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto. New York bit the dust in Game 1, 10-1, and couldn’t bounce back, losing 13-7 in Game 2 on Sunday. They now trail 0-2 in the best-of-five series.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone acknowledged the gravity of the situation but remained cautiously optimistic.
“Obviously, it feels like the world’s caving in around you, you lose two games like that in their building where it doesn’t go right,” Boone said. “But all of a sudden you go out there and win a ballgame on Tuesday, the needle can change. There’s been a lot of weird things that have happened in baseball this year. This would not be the weirdest, us rallying.”
New York couldn’t catch a break at the plate in Toronto, particularly during Game 2, where they were held hitless through the first 5 2/3 innings against Blue Jays rookie Trey Yesavage. The 22-year-old right-hander, selected No. 20 in last year’s amateur draft, struck out 11 batters over 5 1/3 innings in a no-hit performance, setting a Blue Jays postseason record.
Yesavage, who rose through four minor league levels before joining the major league roster, retired six of the first nine batters in order and six consecutive batters in the third and fourth innings. He finished with 78 pitches, striking out 18 of 31 Yankees swings.
Toronto’s offense has dominated the series so far. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit the first postseason grand slam in Blue Jays history during Game 2, while Daulton Varsho went 4-for-5 with two doubles, scoring four runs and driving in four RBIs.
Ernie Clement, George Springer, and Cody Bellinger also contributed home runs, with the Blue Jays reaching double figures in hits and runs for the second consecutive game. After 14 hits and 10 runs in Game 1, the Jays have totaled 23 runs over the first two games, the most by any team in the opening two games of an ALDS series.
Numbers don’t lie. The Yankees have lost eight of nine games in Toronto this season but hold a 4-2 record at home against the Jays. The team’s bullpen has been tested early in the series, with seven relievers combining for 10 1/3 innings across the two games.
To avoid elimination, they will send Carlos Rodon to the mound to match up against Blue Jays starter Shane Bieber in Game 3 on Tuesday at 8:08 p.m.
