The New York Yankees are in serious trouble. After dropping the first two games of the American League Division Series to the Toronto Blue Jays, they now find themselves in an 0-2 hole, one loss away from elimination.
Following a strong performance in the wild-card series against the Boston Red Sox, left-hander Max Fried struggled mightily in Sunday’s Game 2, surrendering seven earned runs in just three innings of work. Reliever Will Warren didn’t fare much better, allowing six runs — including four home runs — as Toronto’s lineup continued to pile on.
The long ball has been New York’s undoing so far. Through the first two games of the series, the Yankees have given up eight home runs and 23 total runs. Their pitching staff, once considered one of the deepest in baseball, has failed to contain the Blue Jays’ balanced attack.
Despite the pitching woes, the Yankees’ offense showed some life in Game 2, plating seven runs after managing just one in the series opener. Aaron Judge has led the way with multi-hit performances in both games, while Ben Rice and Giancarlo Stanton each added timely hits in Sunday’s loss.
The series now shifts to Yankee Stadium, where New York will look to keep its season alive. Left-hander Carlos Rodón is slated to start Game 3 against Blue Jays right-hander Shane Bieber.
If the Yankees can’t turn things around at home, questions will mount heading into the offseason — including the futures of pending free agents Devin Williams, Trent Grisham and possibly Cody Bellinger. Manager Aaron Boone’s job security could also come under renewed scrutiny if the Yankees’ postseason run ends in another early exit.