“We’re the best team in the league.” Back in September, Jazz Chisholm Jr stirred a debate with his statement that the Yankees are the best in the business. While that statement is debatable, a better statement would have been, “We’re the best team in the league at not giving up.” After an up-and-down season, the Bombers rallied in late September to almost win the Division, only losing out to the Blue Jays on the tiebreaker. They followed that up with a 2-1 win over the Red Sox in the wild card round, coming back after losing Game 1. However, things haven’t gone according to plan in the ALDS. The Yankees got routed in the first two games by the Blue Jays and offered enough ingredients for Red Sox legend David Ortiz to take a dig at Chisholm.

“They can bring Jesus back, and they’re still going to Cancun. It’s over. It’s a wrap,” Ortiz said after New York’s 13-7 loss on Sunday. But the amusement was short-lived. Check game 3 on Tuesday, and the Yankees showed why it’s not over until it’s over. They won the game by 9-6 and kept the hopes alive in the ALDS. And also made Ortiz backtrack from his previous stance.

“I tell you what Jazz is not wrong about, saying that the Yankees might be the best in the American League. They showed that tonight they should have been playing like that from the very beginning. That’s the team, that’s the New York Yankees team that dominates and that division for a long time.” Ortiz heaped praise on the Yankees on FOX’s postgame show after Tuesday’s game.

Well, the Yankees finally played the way everyone expected them to. Guess what, the OG Aaron Judge showed up, crushing a 100-mph fastball off Louis Varland. Then Jazz Chisholm launched a go-ahead homer in the fifth, and the Yankees took full advantage of two Toronto errors to avoid the sweep.

And what’s more commendable is how the Yankees’ bullpen showed up. After Carlos Rodon gave up six runs on six hits in just 2⅓ innings, the bullpen completely turned things around. They combined for 6⅔ scoreless innings.

But what really topped it off was the postgame moment… Derek Jeter was having a little fun at Ortiz’s expense on the broadcast, teasing him after the Yankees made him eat his words. The way Jeter leaned in and trolled Ortiz? That’s exactly the kind of energy Yankees fans are loving right now.

David Ortiz can’t stop praising the Yankees’ latest sensation

Even when Ortiz commended the Yankees for making a strong comeback, he offered a special mention for the Yankees’ newest arm, Cam Schlittler. Schlittler burst onto the scene in Game 3 of the Wild Card series against the Red Sox, finishing with 12 SOs over 8 scoreless innings. It was the first time in over 100 years that a Yankees pitcher had thrown eight shutout innings with that many strikeouts in a postseason game.

“That Cam kid…. he’s going to put up a show tomorrow. He is impressive. I mean, I’m watching this young man pitch. I watched him in New York against the Red Sox… wow. He has some life in his fastball,” Ortiz said, clearly fascinated by the rookie.

Now, as the Yankees look to clinch Game 4 against the Blue Jays, Schlittler will get the ball in what might be the biggest start of his young career. But this assignment is no easy task. Why?

Because Toronto’s lineup has been relentless all series, putting up 29 runs in three games… Let’s see if Schlittler could again save New York’s season and cement his place as the breakout star of their postseason run.