Three takeaways from the Yankees' Wild Card Series-clinching win over the Red Sox
Three takeaways from the Yankees’ 4-0 win over the Red Sox in Game 3 of their Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium.
1. Ryan McMahon made the play of the series
McMahon, who took over for Amed Rosario at third base in a defensive upgrade in the sixth inning, made an incredible catch of a pop-up hit by Jarren Duran at the Red Sox dugout for the second out of the eighth.
After a full sprint, McMahon caught the ball and fell headfirst over the dugout railing. What could have been a nasty headfirst crash onto the dugout floor was stopped by Red Sox reliever Greg Weissert, a Bay Shore native and former Yankee who caught and stopped McMahon’s legs before the third baseman could be injured.
The crowd and the Yankees' dugout went nuts.
“I thought he was dead,” catcher Austin Wells said. “I was so worried for him and then he bounced right up and was fine. I was like, ‘Holy [expletive], that was crazy.’ ”
McMahon has not hit much in his time with the Yankees and did not start either game with a lefty on the mound. But making a catch reminiscent of Derek Jeter’s great catch of a fair ball before crashing into the third-base stands in the previous Yankee Stadium, which saved a game the Yankees went on to win against the Red Sox on July 1, 2004, is a pretty good way to endear yourself to Yankees fans.
2. The Yankees slayed a lot of demons
They beat Boston in a postseason series for the first time since the 2003 ALCS. The Red Sox beat the Yankees in 2004 (ALCS), 2018 (ALDS) and 2021 (wild-card game).
Having Bucky Dent throw out the ceremonial first pitch / troll the Red Sox on Thursday wasn’t the reason the Yankees won. They also had the 1978 playoff game hero do that before Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS, which the Red Sox won, 10-3, to complete the Yankees’ historic collapse from 3-0 up in the series.
The Yankees beat a team with Alex Bregman in the postseason for the first time. The now-Red Sox third baseman was on the Astros in 2017, 2019 and 2022 when they ousted the Yankees in the ALCS.
"Remember this feeling, because it sucks,” Bregman said after the game. “You don't want to feel it. Take it into your offseason."
The Yankees became the first team in 16 tries to win a best-of-three Wild Card Series after losing the first game. The three-game Wild Card Series debuted in 2022.
3. On to Toronto
The Yankees (94-68) finished with the same record as the Blue Jays in the regular season, but Toronto won the AL East title, avoided the wild-card round and earned the AL’s No.1 seed by winning the season series, 8-5.
But the ALDS is the only series that counts now.
The Yankees have a decision to make for their Game 1 starter: Luis Gil or Will Warren.
Gil went 1-0 in one start against Toronto this season (six innings, one earned run). Warren was strafed for 10 hits and eight runs in four innings in his one start against the Blue Jays.
The rest of the Yankees' rotation: Max Fried, Carlos Rodon and Cam Schlittler in Games 2-4. Because of two travel days, Fried would be available to start a Game 5 in Toronto on normal rest. So that’s an advantage for the Yankees.
The Blue Jays’ probable rotation is Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, rookie sensation Trey Yesavage and either Chris Bassitt or Max Scherzer. Bassitt has been battling a back problem. Scherzer has been battling getting lit up every time he takes the mound lately.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
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