It was a must-win game for the New York Yankees; now they are on the brink of elimination. The Yankees entered Game 2 of the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays, ready to level the series. But forgot to play like it in the first inning. Cam Schlittler pitched to six Rays hitters at the top of the first, as multiple fielding errors plagued the Yankees. While Schlittler was fortunate to escape the inning giving up only one run, frustrated fans slammed the players online. With the tone set in the first inning, the Yankees ultimately lost the game 5-2.
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The Yankees’ first-inning troubles started with Ryan McMahon’s fielding error, which helped lead-off hitter Yandy Diaz reach first. A single to Jonathan Aranda later, the Yankees’ fielding unraveled even more. With Diaz in scoring position, Junior Caminero hit a bouncer on Schlittler’s 2-2 pitch to shortstop, and George Lombard Jr. flipped it to Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second for a force out. Then, Chisholm Jr. botched the play. Trying to throw out Caminero at first, the Yankees 2B threw the ball way wide and into the dugout. Diaz scored, and Caminero reached second. The Yankees fell into a 1-0 deficit. Talkin’ Yanks posted a video of Chisholm Jr.’s blunder on X.
“Yankees continue to embarrass themselves, this time it’s Jazz Chisholm Jr. trying to be a hero,” wrote the X handle in caption.
Shockingly enough, the Yankees first inning blunders did not end with Chisholm Jr.
In the next at-bat, Austin Wells was charged with catcher’s interference as his glove touched Liam Hicks’ bat when the batter swung. After the Rays challenged, the on-field call was overturned and Hicks reached first.
The inning ended after Schlittler retired Victor Mesa Jr. for the final out.
After recording only one hit in Game 1 against the Rays, a first in the franchise’s playoff history, the Yankees landed on the wrong side of history again.
According to Katie Sharp of Stathead, “This is the first time the Yankees have committed 3 errors in a single inning in a postseason game.”
However, this is not the first time the Yankees have committed more than one error in a single postseason inning. In the 2024 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Yankees turned a 5-0 lead into a tie game solely based on errors and missed an out.
During the fifth inning of Game 5, the Yankees’ lapses started with Aaron Judge. The captain dropped a routine fly ball by Tommy Edman, putting runners on first and second. Then, Anthony Volpe committed a throwing error that helped Hernandez reach third and load the bases. Gerrit Cole retired the next two hitters but failed to cover first base on a grounder by Mookie Betts, sparking a five-run inning. The Dodgers ultimately won the game 7-6 and clinched the World Series title, 4-1.
Following the Yankees’ latest set of blunders, fans flooded social media to slam the team’s poor defense.
Fans rip into the Yankees following first-inning blunder
One fan wrote, “Championship teams do not play like that bunch of clowns.”
The Yankees, players and fans alike, are desperate to see their World Series drought end. Fans have grown frustrated with the early exits each year. Apart from 2024, the Yankees had not reached the World Series since 2009, when they last won the title. Last year, the Toronto Blue Jays ended New York’s postseason run in the division series. Following their latest loss, the Yankees are trailing the Rays 0-2 in the ALDS this year.
Taking a jibe at Chisholm Jr., a user commented, “Jazz trying to be the guy in game 2 of the ALDS is exactly why this team can’t have nice things.”
The Yankees’ second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. finished the regular season with as many as 9 errors at second base, and holds a -0.1 dWAR. One of those happened in August. Playing against the Baltimore Orioles, Chisholm Jr. failed to cleanly field a grounder by Christian Franklin and missed a potential double. The second baseman tried to blame second base umpire Ryan Addition, claiming that the ump interfered with his vision.
“Can’t wait for Jazz and McMahon to now go hitless with a minimum of 4 K’s on top of whatever the hell that was just now,” remarked another fan.
Chisholm Jr. (0-for-6) and Ryan McMahon (0-for-3) indeed went hitless against the Rays so far, with two strikeouts. They have both drawn a walk each in the series so far.
Another user demanded, “Sit that s— Jissom down right now; put Volpe in at second.”
Anthony Volpe has been sharp at second base, after committing a league-leading 19 errors at shortstop last season. Volpe finished the regular season with 2 errors at second base in 12 games and has not committed an error in the only postseason game he has played at 2B so far.
“Jazz sucks. Can’t field, can’t hit, and has the worst challenge record. Send him to the Mets,” remarked a frustrated fan.
Chisholm Jr. also had significant trouble getting accustomed to the newly introduced ABS Challenge System. He struggled with the strike zone all season long and only won 8 of 17 calls he challenged. Chisholm Jr. has a 36 percent success rate.
The Yankees will enjoy home-field advantage for the next two games, when they play to keep their postseason run alive.