TORONTO — The New York Yankees are one defeat from elimination after a crushing 13-7 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 2 of the American League Division Series on Sunday. The defeat leaves the Yankees trailing 0-2 in the best-of-five matchup and forces them into must-win territory as the series shifts back to Yankee Stadium.
Boone turns to inexperienced Warren in critical moment
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The afternoon unraveled when Yankees manager Aaron Boone made a surprising pitching change with the game still within reach. New York trailed 5-0 in the fourth inning when starter Max Fried, already struggling, allowed two more baserunners. Instead of using one of his tested bullpen arms, Boone summoned Will Warren, a rookie starter who had not made a relief appearance all season and had not pitched since Sept. 26.
The gamble backfired immediately. Warren walked George Springer to load the bases, struck out Davis Schneider, and then grooved a pitch that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. crushed into the seats for a grand slam. The Rogers Centre crowd erupted as Toronto’s lead ballooned to 9-0.
The entire city of Toronto just shook when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit that grand slam off Will Warren.
By the end of the inning, the Blue Jays had stretched the margin to 11-0. The Yankees were staring at elimination before their lineup had mounted any resistance.
“That’s the spot that he’s got a chance to be successful in. To keep it a game there,” Boone said after the loss. “He’s on this team for that, especially behind these lefties, to go on a run. [It] didn’t work there early.”
Boone’s Yankees strategy was baffling
Max Fried, signed to be the Yankees’ ace, never settled in. The left-hander gave up five runs across three innings, including a two-run homer to Ernie Clement in the second. After yielding an infield hit to Andres Gimenez and walking Myles Straw to start the fourth, Boone ended his outing.
Fernando Cruz was already warming in the bullpen. Devin Williams, Camilo Doval and Luke Weaver were also available. Yet Boone turned to Warren, who had been developed strictly as a starter.
The decision drew instant criticism. YES Network’s Justin Shackil questioned the logic of the move, calling it “one of the most curious decisions of this postseason for the Yankees.”
Warren’s nightmare inning dooms Yankees’ chances
Thrust into the fire, Warren showed little command. His walk to Springer loaded the bases and set up Guerrero’s back-breaking grand slam. Guerrero pumped his fists as the crowd roared, while Warren trudged back to the mound in disbelief.
Warren ended up logging 4 2/3 innings, throwing 84 pitches in mop-up duty. He gave up six runs, including four home runs, with Daulton Varsho tagging him twice.
“I think I worked my best to treat it like a start,” Warren said. “Get ready the same way. They gave me a heads up. I got to come in and get us out of that.”
The extended outing did keep most of the bullpen fresh. Only Weaver was used after Warren, handling the final out of the eighth inning. But critics said saving relievers for a later game while conceding the current one was not sound playoff strategy.
Late rally exposes Boone’s blunder
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The Yankees’ bats finally woke up in the sixth inning after being stymied by rookie Trey Yesavage, who no-hit them for 5 1/3 innings while striking out 11.
Cody Bellinger got New York on the board with a two-run homer that cut the lead to 12-2. The Yankees then erupted for five runs in the seventh against Toronto’s bullpen, suddenly making it 13-7 with six outs still to play.
Bellinger added a sacrifice fly, while Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Ben Rice all chipped in with RBI hits during the late push.
The surge proved that the game was not entirely out of reach. Had the Yankees contained Toronto’s damage earlier, their bats might have given them a chance to steal a comeback win. Instead, Boone’s call to use Warren left the deficit too steep.
Yankees face elimination in Game 3
The Yankees now must win three straight games to advance, beginning Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. Toronto has outscored New York 21-10 across the first two contests, putting the Bronx Bombers in a deep hole.
Boone defended his decision after the game but acknowledged the result.
“We’re going to take our shot there with Will,” Boone said. “It’s already five [runs in] and runners out there. He’s on this team for that, behind especially one of our lefties, to go on a run. Obviously, it didn’t work initially. He ends up giving us length and preserving us a little bit, but you can’t stay away from guys because that’s why he’s on [the roster].”
The frustration in the fan base is palpable. The Yankees have been bounced in the ALDS or Wild Card round in four of their last five playoff trips. Each time, questionable in-game decisions have come under scrutiny.
Fried, who gave up seven earned runs on Sunday, echoed the belief that New York is still alive. “We still have the ability to go out there and win three in a row and win the series. We still got to believe,” he said.
But with Toronto riding momentum and New York needing perfection, Boone’s choices loom large. The Yankees’ season now rests on the thinnest of margins, and Game 3 will determine if they survive another day.
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