The New York Yankees didn’t just lose Game 2 in Toronto — they unraveled. Their 13–7 defeat to the Blue Jays on Sunday night felt like a repeat viewing of Saturday’s meltdown, only with more false hope sprinkled in. Despite a late offensive push once Toronto turned to its bullpen, the Yankees’ early-game collapse was too steep to overcome.
For a team built on power and postseason pedigree, this October has quickly turned sour. And no player embodies that frustration more right now than Trent Grisham — the one man who entered the playoffs with momentum and promise but has yet to find any rhythm when it matters most.
Grisham’s regular-season brilliance meets postseason disappointment
The Yankees didn’t expect Grisham to carry the offense, but they did expect him to be a spark at the top of the order. Instead, he’s become an easy out. The 28-year-old, coming off the best season of his career, has completely lost his timing at the plate.
Over 143 regular-season games, Grisham hit .235/.348/.464 with 34 home runs, 74 RBIs, and a 129 wRC+. He reinvented himself as a disciplined power hitter — a player who blended patience with pop and turned his contract year into a payday waiting to happen. But that same player has disappeared in October.
Through the postseason, Grisham is slashing .150/.229/.200. On Sunday, he struck out three times, looking overmatched and uncomfortable, particularly against Toronto’s fastball-heavy approach. Every at-bat seemed to end the same way: a mistimed swing, a helpless stare, and a long walk back to the dugout.
In playoff baseball, where moments define legacies, Grisham’s struggles are not just hurting his numbers — they’re hurting his market. Front offices notice when a player shines in pressure spots. They also notice when one vanishes.
Yankees’ offense sputtering when it matters most
To be fair, Grisham isn’t alone. The Yankees lineup as a whole looked sluggish and disjointed through the first two games of the ALDS. Aaron Judge continues to get on base and do damage, but the hitters around him haven’t provided support.
The Blue Jays’ pitching staff has executed its game plan perfectly — pounding the zone early, working off-speed late, and daring the Yankees to make adjustments they haven’t yet made. By the time the Yankees began generating offense on Sunday, it was already too late.
Still, the lack of production from the leadoff spot has been glaring. The Yankees need energy and pressure from the top of the order, and right now, Grisham isn’t providing either. His chase rate has ballooned, and his contact quality has plummeted. For someone who thrives on rhythm and flow, this dry spell has him stuck in quicksand.
What comes next for Grisham and the Yankees
Manager Aaron Boone isn’t likely to bench Grisham outright — not after the season he just had. But there’s no denying that change may be necessary if the Yankees want to avoid an early playoff exit. Whether it’s moving him down in the order or shaking up the lineup around him, something has to give.
The Yankees return to the Bronx trailing 0–2 in the ALDS, and with Carlos Rodon set to take the mound, they need an offensive spark. Grisham, whose calm demeanor and streaky bat have defined his career, has a chance to rewrite the narrative — to be the player who steadies the ship instead of sinking with it.
For now, though, his slump is emblematic of the Yankees’ entire postseason so far: a team full of talent but low on answers, watching its confidence erode one strikeout at a time.
In baseball, momentum shifts quickly. And if Trent Grisham can rediscover the swing that carried him all season, the Yankees might just find their pulse again. But if not, October could end just as abruptly as it began.
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