The New York Yankees fell 5-2 to the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 2 of the American League Division Series on Monday night, dropping to 0-2 in the best-of-five set. Three defensive miscues in the opening frame set a chaotic tone, and a decisive fifth inning knocked Cam Schlittler out of the game.
The series now shifts to Yankee Stadium for Game 3 on Wednesday with the Yankees facing elimination. Max Fried will take the mound for New York.
In the aftermath of an ugly postseason performance for the Yankees, Jazz Chisholm Jr. turned inward.
Chisholm Reacts to the Loss
Chisholm was direct when asked to assess what happened Monday night.
“We beat ourselves today in a lot of ways,” Chisholm said.
Jazz acknowledged that the defensive breakdowns were uncharacteristic and that the team made things harder on itself throughout the game. He pointed to the quality of the group’s daily preparation and the caliber of defenders on the roster, noting that the performance did not reflect the standard they have held all season.
“Some of the best defenders I’ve ever played with, you know, are playing. So for me, it just hurts us a little bit more than you think.”
Chisholm also gave credit to the Rays for applying pressure and taking advantage of every opening the Yankees gave them. When asked whether Tampa Bay beat them or they beat themselves, his answer was honest. Both played a role.
Judge and Stanton Kept the Dugout Together
One of the more revealing moments from Chisholm’s postgame comments came when he was asked about the energy in the dugout after the three-error first inning.
Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are both unavailable in the lineup. Judge is on the injured list with a calf injury. Stanton is on the ALDS roster but limited to a pinch-hitting role. Neither played Monday.
That did not stop them from leading. Chisholm described both players rallying the team after the early meltdown, staying engaged on every pitch and every at-bat.
Chisholm described their message as simple and direct: keep going, keep competing, play until the last pitch. He said the energy from both players never wavered from the first inning through the ninth.
Final Word for the Yankees
Chisholm knows what went wrong. The team knows what went wrong. The defense failed a pitcher who needed support, and the margin for error disappeared.
Wednesday is an elimination game. The Yankees need that dugout energy to carry over to the field.
Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. Drops Blunt Admission After ALDS Loss to Rays