NEW YORK — The Yankees’ season teetered on the edge Wednesday night. Down a game in their Wild Card Series against the Red Sox, Aaron Boone’s lineup choices from Game 1 faced heavy scrutiny. Two players who sat during that loss took center stage when it mattered most.
By the time the New York Yankees closed out a 4-3 victory in Game 2, Ben Rice and Jazz Chisholm Jr. had delivered defining performances. Their play not only kept the Yankees alive but also spotlighted whether Boone’s strategy nearly cost his team its season.
Rice wastes no time making Yankees statement
NYY
Ben Rice wasted little time sending a message. On the first pitch he saw from Boston starter Brayan Bello, the rookie crushed a two-run homer into the right-field seats. The ball left his bat at 106.6 mph, giving the Yankees an early 2-0 lead.
Just the night before, Rice’s 26 home runs and .836 OPS were left unused while the Yankees struggled at the plate against Red Sox lefty Garrett Crochet. Boone had started Paul Goldschmidt at first base instead, a matchup move that fell flat.
“Coming off of a loss, to kind of set the tone for us in the first inning, to get us out to a lead felt really good,” Rice said.
The blast gave Rice a place in Yankees history. He became the first player since Shane Spencer in the 1998 ALDS to homer in his first postseason plate appearance. For Rice, who grew up in Massachusetts and once scribbled “Yankees Rule!” on Fenway’s Pesky Pole, the swing carried even more meaning.
“It was unbelievable,” Rice said. “So cool. One, to be a part of the rivalry now, just given where I’m from and where I grew up and all that, just makes it all that much more special.”
Yankees captain Aaron Judge praised the rookie’s consistent approach.
“He hits the ball hard every single time he gets up there,” Judge said. “He has great at-bats and knows what he’s looking for. When he gets his pitch, he doesn’t miss.”
Chisholm channels video game fury into real heroics
AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
Chisholm’s response followed a different path. Benched in Game 1 for Amed Rosario, the second baseman showed frustration afterward, even turning his back to reporters at his locker.
His outlet was unconventional for the Yankees.
“I played MLB The Show and I mercy-ruled someone,” Chisholm said with a laugh. “That’s how I get my stress off.”
“That’s how I get my stress off.”
Jazz Chisholm Jr. recaps his 12-1 MLB The Show victory that helped him relax after not starting in Game 1 pic.twitter.com/n0yu3kUnUt
By the next day, Chisholm was ready to turn anger into performance for the Yankees.
He made his biggest impact on defense. In the seventh inning with the score tied 3-3, Masataka Yoshida ripped a grounder up the middle. Chisholm dove, smothered the ball, and kept Nate Eaton from scoring the go-ahead run.
“I want to make sure it’s mentioned: Jazz saved us the game, completely,” reliever Fernando Cruz said.
Chisholm then provided the spark on the Yankees offense. In the eighth, he battled Whitlock for a seven-pitch walk. Standing on first base, he warned Red Sox first baseman Nathaniel Lowe what would happen if a gap opened.
Moments later, Austin Wells lined a changeup down the right-field line. Chisholm sprinted from first to home in 9.16 seconds, losing his helmet near third before sliding headfirst across the plate. The throw was late. Yankee Stadium erupted and the Yankees were ahead.
“What do you expect? The guy is a game-changer,” Judge said. “It just shows you the maturity, to take what happened the day before and bring it into today’s game. He showed up ready to play today and ended up having the biggest plays for us throughout the night.”
Boone’s approach faces scrutiny
Boone defended his lineup from Game 1 before Wednesday’s contest. He pointed to Yankees’ platoon advantages and matchup data. His decision had been to favor Goldschmidt and Rosario against left-handers.
The results told another story. The Yankees managed only three hits in their opening loss. Meanwhile, Rice entered Wednesday with 26 home runs and 65 RBIs. Chisholm had put together a 30-30 season, joining elite company in franchise history.
“Every player is not going to agree with every decision that I make,” the Yankees manager said said. “He is a guy that wears his emotions on his sleeve. But I don’t need him to put a happy face on. I need him to go out and play his butt off for us tonight.”
"I thought our defense tonight was really, really good."
– Aaron Boone on what helped the Yankees beat the Red Sox in Game 2 of the Wild Card pic.twitter.com/KCmj0WisML
Rice acknowledged his role and kept his focus on preparation.
“I know my role and Tuesday my role was to be ready for a big at-bat off the bench,” the Yankees rookie said. “And Wednesday, I was starting. The approach doesn’t change. I’m just going to be prepared for every at-bat I get and every chance I get.”
Chisholm also stressed his support for Boone despite his visible frustration over the Yankees’ decision.
“There was never a problem between me and Aaron Boone,” Chisholm said. “I’ve stood behind him all year. We always have disagreements. But at the end of the day, I always stand with Boonie because he always understands where I come from.”
High stakes for winner-take-all showdown
The Yankees-Red Sox series now comes down to Thursday night in the Bronx. Rookie right-hander Cam Schlittler will start for New York against Boston lefty Connelly Early. Boone confirmed Chisholm would be in the lineup.
Rice’s status was less certain. Boone noted that the decision depends on more than the pitcher’s handedness.
“It’s not just, ‘It’s a lefty,’” Boone said. “It’s, ‘What lefty?’ All those things factor into it.”
The Yankees kept their season alive with Wednesday’s win. But the contributions of Chisholm and Rice raised serious questions about Boone’s reliance on matchups. Their impact may have saved the year, and perhaps revealed that sticking to the numbers alone nearly ended it.
With one game left to decide everything, Boone’s decisions will be measured in the simplest way: by results.
