On the field, Game 3 of the ALCS between the Mariners and Blue Jays carried playoff intensity. Seattle looked to seize control of the series while Toronto was desperately looking for its first win. Behind the scenes in the Fox Sports broadcast booth, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and David Ortiz found themselves in the middle of a hilarious moment when a fed-up fan made a cheeky plea that reached the booth.

The chaos started on social media when a frustrated baseball supporter tweeted, “PLEASE JETER NEVER PICK MY TEAM AGAIN.” The message spread quickly through the baseball community, turning Jeter’s well-intentioned predictions into an unexpected curse. Leaving both A-Rod and Ortiz absolutely lost it, their laughter echoed across the room as Jeter sat there, momentarily speechless.

Derek Jeter’s “jinx” has quickly become a running joke this postseason. After picking the Yankees to beat Toronto in the ALDS and the Dodgers to win their series — both teams promptly lost — fans dubbed it the “Jeter Curse.” Social media lit up with comments like, “If Jeter picks you, you’re doomed,” while A-Rod and Ortiz couldn’t resist teasing him on-air for his unlucky streak.

Derek Jeter, clearly aware of his newfound reputation as a jinx, tried to walk back any future forecasts. As the crew sat together discussing the game, Mr. November said, “Baseball is just a strange game. You know, you go from being hot to cold, and then you just show up again and have a day like this.” “So it just shows you how quickly things can change, right? I mean, just when you think Seattle’s in a great position, bam, here comes Toronto’s bats.” And then came the kicker. “We’ll see what happens tomorrow. I’m not predicting a thing. I don’t know what’s going to happen.” The fact that he was holding back made the mood much funnier.

The game itself backed up the fans’ superstition. Toronto won 13–4, cutting Seattle’s series lead to 2–1. The Blue Jays launched five home runs from Guerrero Jr., Gimenez, Springer, Kirk, and Barger. Seattle chased George Kirby after four shaky innings, while Shane Bieber dominated with six innings and eight strikeouts for Toronto. The Mariners took the lead in the first inning with a two-run home run by Julio Rodriguez, but their offense went silent afterwards.

This wasn’t the first time the booth delivered entertainment gold. Earlier in the series, Dontrelle Willis and Ortiz had teamed up to playfully torment Derek Jeter about the 2003 World Series, when Willis’s Florida Marlins stunned Jeter’s Yankees in six games. The friendly jabs reminded viewers why baseball remains compelling beyond the box scores.

Vladdy’s homer reignites Yankees-Blue Jays banter in the booth

In Game 3, the broadcast booth had a moment of its own in a series that was already full of tension. It turned analysis into improv and rivalry into laughs.

The lighthearted energy in the broadcast booth continued throughout the series, turning analysis into improv and rivalry into laughs. Every swing and call seemed to invite another joke or playful jab between the former rivals.

The backdrop to this moment came from earlier in the postseason. After the Yankees lost to Toronto in the ALDS, Vladdy Jr. and Ortiz exclaimed, “DAAAAAA YANKEES LOSE!” during a Fox interview. The reel went viral and showed how fun the rivalry was.

In the game, Vladdy went deep in the fifth inning, marking the third homer of the night. While discussing his play in the postgame, Derek Jeter turned to Ortiz and remarked, “He enjoys playing the game. He has fun, right? I mean, you talk about going viral saying the Yankees lose.. You know, I mean, really, he’s having fun. It’s still a game. It’s still a game. I’m Happy that he didn’t listen to you there at the end and you say he grew up in a church, and I don’t know how he got so close to you, but” That made Ortiz and A-Rod laugh out loud

The contrast was clear: Vladdy’s home run gave Toronto more energy on the field, and at that precise moment, it sparked conversation, friendship, and light teasing in the booth. This kind of interaction hasn’t just been entertaining—it’s made the rivalry feel more authentic and given fans a look beneath the serious tone of most broadcasts, reminding us that even when the stakes are high, we can still laugh