For a second straight year, the New York Yankees are one loss away from elimination as the series shifted to the Bronx. Last year, the Toronto Blue Jays cut their postseason run short; this season, the Tampa Bay Rays have a chance to do it again. Ahead of their do-or-die clash at Yankee Stadium, manager Aaron Boone reflected on the ugly loss in the previous game.

“We were ready. I actually said to someone after our pregame work, I was like, ‘We look crisp tonight.’ Obviously, went out and had a rough first inning,” said manager Aaron Boone about the Yankees’ readiness to play Game 2, per SNY Yankees.

But the Yankees were anything but “crisp” in Game 2 of the ALDS.

An offensive collapse and sloppy defense were at the center of their loss. Even Cam Schlittler was not his usual sharp self.

He lasted 4.1 innings and allowed 2 earned runs on 6 hits. The Yankees committed four errors, three in the first inning alone, during their 5-2 defeat. It started with Ryan McMahon misplaying a bouncer from Yandy Diaz.

The defensive miscues became glaring with Jazz Chisholm Jr.

With Diaz in scoring position, Junior Caminero hit a bouncer on Cam Schlittler’s 2-2 pitch to shortstop, and George Lombard Jr. flipped it to Chisholm Jr. at second for a force out. 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.

Then the inning imploded further when Austin Wells was charged with catcher’s interference. While the first inning was finally over, with Schlittler escaping the jam after surrendering only 1 run, the defensive miscues were not.

After Brent Headrick relieved Schlittler in the fifth, the Rays loaded the bases on a throwing error by George Lombard Jr. Then, the Rays scored two more runs to hold a 5-2 lead.

While the Rays took advantage of Schlittler’s rough outing, RHP Freddy Peralta silenced the Yankees, except for Ben Rice.

“I’ll be the first one to say that I didn’t do my job, but it didn’t seem like we really showed up today,” said Schlittler, per Baseball Is Dead on X.

Rice’s two solo homers were the only scoring plays by the Yankees in Game 2. Boone’s lefty-vs.-righty strategy clearly did not work against the Rays.

The Yankees had carried eight left-handed hitters in the lineup. Game 2 made it clear that their next game needs some changes in plans.

They feature Anthony Volpe and Jose Caballero.

“Two guys that have been an important part of our team this year, that have played important roles, that have played a lot for us and [I have] a lot of confidence in what they bring to the table,” Boone said about the two players, per SNY.

“Just kinda felt like, thinking about it on the plane ride home, made my decision there and then, just stewed through the lineup yesterday, and ultimately excited to get those guys in and hopefully be a little spark for us.”

As the Yankees get ready to face RHP Nick Martinez, New York’s infield will look different.

Volpe will start at second base and Caballero at third. Volpe, Caballero, and rookie shortstop George Lombard Jr. are the only right-handed batters in the lineup.

With right-handers having a better BA (.261) against Martinez when compared to lefties (.236) this season, the Yankees’ righty trio will be under immense pressure on Wednesday.

The Tampa Bay Rays are 5-2 versus the Yankees in the postseason all-time. Since 2018, when facing elimination in the playoffs, the pinstripes are 9-7. Their last postseason loss against the Rays came in 2020 in ALDS Game 5.

This time, the Yankees must arrive ready in the Bronx and win three straight games to save their postseason run. The last time they came back from a 0-2 hole was in 2017 against the Cleveland Guardians. With Max Fried on the mound, the Yankees must win it.