Yanks' Backs to the Wall, and the Wall Is Crumbling

Not that I'm happy about it, but I called it: A pitcher that the Yankees had never seen before, in an afternoon game, on Fox? That combination usually means they're going to lose.

Even having Max Fried on the mound wasn't going to help the Yankees last night, in Game 2 of their American League Division Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. He was taken out after not getting either of the 1st 2 batters out in the bottom of the 4th, and the Jays already up, 5-0.

Aaron Boone brought Will Warren in to pitch. At first glance, that might have been the best move: The game was probably already lost, so why bring in a good pitcher, and tax the bullpen any more than you have to? Warren pitched like he usually does: Badly. Indeed, he was a big reason why the Yankees lost the AL Eastern Division title by 1 game. He walked a batter, and the bases were loaded with nobody out.

He got an out, but then Vladimir Guerrero Jr. came up. I think we all knew that a grand slam was coming, and when Guerrero swung, for a moment, the cameras didn't switch to behind home plate to watch the ball's flight and where it landed. I was reminded of the Pennant-winning home run hit by Jack Clark for the St. Louis Cardinals, 40 years ago. That was probably the last time I didn't need to see the view of the outfield to know that this was an epic home run. 9-0.

Boone left Warren out there for a long time. Might as well. It was 12-0 after 5 innings, before an Aaron Judge single and a Cody Bellinger home run put the Yankees on the board. Trey Yesavage  was taken out right before that, having allowed no hits, a walk and an error, striking out 11. It was a companion piece to Cam Schlittler's performance in the clincher against the Red Sox. As in that case, it appears that a star has been born.

The Jays made it 13-2 in the bottom of the 6th. Thus far, in 15 innings in this series, the Yankees had been outscored 25-3. This is as pathetic as the Yankees have ever looked in postseason play. Then again, they were still 1 of the last 8 teams left. There are 22 other teams that would have loved to have been in that position, including the Red Sox, the Mets, and the Houston Astros.

And then, something funny happened. The Yankees scored 5 runs in the top of the 7th. And, with 2 out in the top of the 9th, it was 13-7, and there were 2 men on, and Giancarlo Stanton was at the plate. Suddenly, completing the comeback was not out of the question. Of course, Stanton struck out on 3 swings, and the game was over.

Now, the Yankees have their backs to the wall and the wall is crumbling. They will have to win Games 3 and 4 in New York, and then take Game 5 in Toronto, where they have been totally embarrassed in the 1st 2 games. As they say in medical dramas, "I'm not gonna lie to you, it doesn't look good."

Maybe Yankee Fans will owe Guerrero their thanks, because that game might finally be what gets Aaron Boone, and possibly also Brian Cashman, fired.  If that turns out to be the case, it will have been worth going through these last 2 games.

Game 3 is tomorrow night at Yankee Stadium II. Carlos Rodón starts for us, Shane Bieber for them. It's win, or go home.