The New York Yankees’ postseason script took a dramatic twist on Tuesday night. A bold gamble against Boston’s Garrett Crochet—benching stars like Jazz Chisholm Jr., Ben Rice, and Ryan McMahon in favor of a righty-heavy lineup—backfired, leaving the Bronx faithful stunned and the team just one loss away from elimination.
Now, with their season hanging by a thread, the Yankees are done experimenting. Manager Aaron Boone is rolling out his stars again for Game 2, hoping that trusted bats and the left arm of Carlos Rodón can keep October alive.
A lineup reset after a costly gamble
Boone’s Game 1 decision had logic behind it. Crochet’s dominance against lefties made Rosario, Caballero, and Goldschmidt the chosen starters. It worked to an extent, given Goldschmidt’s two hits against Crochet and fellow lefty Aroldis Chapman. But baseball isn’t played on paper, and when the bats went quiet, the second-guessing grew deafening.
Benching Chisholm, who posted a 30–30 season, raised eyebrows even before the first pitch. Sitting Rice, who closed out September red-hot, added more fuel.
One game later, the Yankees are turning back to their offensive stars.
Grisham sets the tone, Judge in his natural spot
Trent Grisham, steady in center field, will return to leadoff duties. Behind him, Aaron Judge returns to his familiar role in the No. 2 spot, the anchor of the offense and the one hitter who can change momentum with a single swing.
Cody Bellinger is playing left field and hitting third. Then comes Rice in the cleanup role, tasked with proving that his September surge wasn’t just a flash in the pan.
And then, of course, there’s Stanton. His ninth-inning strikeout on Tuesday was the kind of moment that lingers, the kind that defines reputations. He’ll be in the DH spot batting fifth, followed immediately by Chisholm, whose competitive fire burned after being benched on Tuesday. If there was ever a time for the young second baseman to channel that frustration into production, this is it.
Catcher Austin Wells is hitting seventh, followed by shortstop Anthony Volpe, who managed two hits (including one home run) against Crochet. McMahon, the slick-fielding third baseman who hasn’t returned the kind of offensive value expected of him to this point, rounds out the batting order.
Rodón must carry the weight
As much as the lineup reshuffling grabs headlines, the real weight of this game rests on Carlos Rodón. The left-hander put together a strong season with a 3.09 ERA and now finds himself in the ultimate prove-it moment.
The Yankees don’t need perfection, but they do need length. Six or seven innings from Rodón would be a lifeline for a bullpen that already looked shaky in Game 1. If he falters early, New York risks falling back into the same trap: leaning too heavily on a relief corps that hasn’t inspired confidence.
Rodón has the stuff to dominate Boston’s right-handed bats. The challenge is keeping his pitch count under control and avoiding the kind of long innings that sap energy and force early calls to the bullpen.
Looking ahead to a potential Game 3
If the Yankees can survive tonight, Thursday’s Game 3 would be a different kind of story altogether. Rookie right-hander Cam Schlittler is lined up for the win-or-go-home finale.
It would be a baptism by fire for the 24-year-old, but first things first—the Yankees have to earn him that chance.
A night that could define this era
Every October features defining moments, the kind that live on in memory. For the Yankees, Wednesday night feels like one of those games. Boone is trusting his stars again, Judge is in the spotlight, and Rodón has the ball with the season on the line.
It’s not hyperbole to say the entire year now hangs on a single left arm and a lineup looking for redemption. For New York, this is the baseball equivalent of standing on the edge of a cliff—one step forward, and they live to fight another day; one misstep, and the season is gone.
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