A rough start in Tampa
The Yankees’ ALDS Game 2 against the Tampa Bay Rays was a defensive disaster from the jump. Known for putting pressure on opponents, the Rays forced New York into a series of errors that turned an otherwise routine inning into a complete nightmare.
It’s lowkey wild that Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler managed to escape the first inning down by only one run. He had to record six outs just to survive the frame after his defense failed to make the simple plays. This marks the first time in postseason history the Yankees have committed three errors in a single inning.
The breakdown
It started with third baseman Ryan McMahon booting a chest-high grounder from Yandy Díaz. Shortly after, a wild, unnecessary throw from Jazz Chisholm Jr. allowed Díaz to score the game's first run. To make matters worse, catcher Austin Wells was hit with a catcher interference call, giving the Rays a free baserunner.
Chisholm wasn't done; he later botched a feed to shortstop George Lombard Jr., killing any chance of an inning-ending double play. While the Yankees managed to strand some runners, the damage was already done.
Why it matters
This performance is a major L for a team that already had questions surrounding its infield consistency. Yankees manager Aaron Boone noted before the series that playing clean ball was essential to winning in Tropicana Field. By failing to take the outs that were served up to them, the Yankees proved that their recurring defensive issues are still very much real—and in the postseason, that's highkey a massive problem.
