The New York Yankees enter Wednesday’s Game 3 matchup with the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS with zero margin for error.
They trail the best-of-five series two games to none and will send left-hander Max Fried to the mound, while the Rays will start right-hander Nick Martinez.
Aaron Boone Hints at New-Look Yankees
New York was horrendous in just about every facet of its Game 2 loss with ace Cam Schlittler on the mound.
They committed three errors in the very first inning and four for the game while losing 5-2.
Not to mention, the two runs they scored came on solo home runs from Ben Rice. As a team, they combined for just four hits, meaning they now have a total of just five hits through the first two games.
For Game 3, however, Yankees manager Aaron Boone spoke to the media Tuesday and revealed that he’s considering changes to the team’s lineup.
“Yeah I’m considering a couple things but haven’t settled on anything. Will probably work through that through the day and talk to some of my coaches and make a decision hopefully tonight on which way I want to go,” Boone said.
Aaron Boone is considering lineup changes for Game 3 of the ALDS https://t.co/gJRZGKsuAv
— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) October 6, 2026
What Changes Could Yankees Make?
New York rolled out the same lineup in both Game 1 and Game 2, so what changes could Boone potentially make to shake up the order?
At first glance, the most notable moves would likely come in the infield, particularly at third base and second base if Boone deems it necessary to get Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Ryan McMahon out of the starting lineup. That could lead to Anthony Volpe and Jose Caballero stepping in to try and give the lineup a spark.
Boone likely won’t make any significant changes to the outfield against a right-handed pitcher, but it would be interesting to see him give Giancarlo Stanton a real shot in the lineup. He could use Stanton as the designated hitter, move Ben Rice to first base and leave Luis Garcia Jr. out of the lineup.
First pitch is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, and the lineup will likely drop a couple of hours before the game.
Aaron Boone Hints at New-Look Yankees Ahead of Game 3 vs. Rays