The first culprit was third baseman Ryan McMahon. Yandy Díaz tapped the ball and sent it McMahon's way, but it bounced and the defender couldn't grab it, committing the first error.
Two batters later, Junior Caminero hit a dribbler for a ground out that got out Jonathan Aranda. Jazz Chisholm Jr. attempted a quick turn to first base and overthrew Luis García Jr. for the second error.
Then, Liam Hicks was up to bat. When he swung at a pitch, catcher Austin Wells stuck his mitt out too far forward. Hicks' bat grazed the top of his mitt and Wells was called for catcher interference.
Yankees committed three errors, and almost a fourth, in the first inning tonight.
It's the first time in franchise history committing three errors in one inning of a postseason game. pic.twitter.com/jydGJrDBjP
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Jonny DeLuca made contact and sent the ball into left field, where George Lombard Jr. scooped it up. The rookie threw the ball toward first base and it was his turn to overthrow García Jr. It was the fourth error of the game.
There was nearly another error earlier in the inning involving Lombard Jr., but it was ruled a fielder's choice.
The Ottawa Senators are 2-0 to start the new season, but for the second straight game, the good news came with an asterisk.
Tim Stützle scored twice and added an assist as the Senators turned in a highly efficient road performance Monday night, defeating the Boston Bruins 4-1 at TD Garden.
Michael Amadio had a goal and an assist, while Drake Batherson scored his first of the season as the Sens followed up Saturday’s 3-2 victory in Toronto with another road win. The Senators finished with 24 shots on goal and allowed just 19.
But once again, an injury took some of the shine off the result.
After losing top defenceman Jake Sanderson during the season opener, the Senators lost starting goaltender Linus Ullmark against his former team. Ullmark made 10 saves through two periods but was removed to start the third, having "tweaked something" as a result of a collision.
The Senators described the decision to pull him as precautionary, with Samuel Ersson taking over in goal.
For a team already dealing with the loss of its best defenceman, the status of its No. 1 goaltender will now be the next major storyline as the Sens play the second half of a back-to-back Tuesday in Detroit. That was a game that Ersson was likely to start in anyway.
Stützle opened the scoring at 7:39 of the first period, finishing a a great setup from Amadio to give the Sens their first shorthanded goal of the season and an early 1-0 lead.
Less than two minutes later, he struck again, this time using Amadio as a decoy. It didn't officially count as a shorthanded goal, but for all intents and purposes, it was.
That quickly put the Bruins in a 2-0 hole and gave the Senators control that they never relinquished.
Batherson extended the lead to 3-0 just 1:06 into the second period, with Stützle picking up the assist for his third point of the night. After a neutral zone turnover, Stützle picked up the puck and hit his linemate with a stretch pass for a breakaway. Batherson finished with a gorgeous backhand tuck behind Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman.
Amadio then made it 4-0 at 5:19, converting a nice setup from Shane Pinto. Pinto's original shot was disrupted, so he whipped a blind backhand pass to the front of the net and Amadio swatted it home. That gave Amadio his second point of the game and second goal in as many games.
Amadio has been one of the Sens top players so far and it should be noted that, while he's not talked about as much, he's an important player who's in his contract year.
That was more than enough offence to get the W.
Boston finally broke through at 3:30 of the third period when James Hagens scored his second goal of the season. It was a fluky goal after Ersson tried to play the puck and whiffed on his pass attempt behind the Sens net.
But for the second straight game, the Sens played a highly structured third period and thwarted any comeback ideas.
The Senators won't have much time to enjoy the victory or assess the bumps and bruises. They'll travel to Detroit to face the Red Wings Tuesday night, looking to make it three straight wins to open the season.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Aaron Boone kept the lineup intact from Game 1 — most notably keeping a struggling Ryan McMahon at third base — in part because he wanted “to prioritize the defense,” the Yankees manager said a couple of hours before Monday’s first pitch.
McMahon made the first error, a drip that became a flood, in an embarrassing 5-2 loss in Game 2 to the Rays in which the Yankees defense was charged with four errors and probably should have been charged with more.
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“Not great. Not how you draw it up,” McMahon said of a first inning in which he booted a ball, Jazz Chisholm Jr. made an unwise decision to throw to first (which bounced past Luis García Jr.) after recording an out at second and Austin Wells was called for catcher’s interference, which added up to the first unearned run.
The problems started on the second pitch Rays leadoff hitter Yandy Díaz saw, chopping a grounder toward McMahon. The normally sure-handed veteran, perhaps misjudging the springs on the Tropicana Field turf or an infield dirt that played fast, simply missed on his backhand attempt.
“Just kicked up on me a little bit,” said McMahon, who watched the ball skitter past him and then raised his palms wondering what had just happened.
Yankees third baseman Ryan McMahon reacts after making an error in the first inning of Game 2 of the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg for New York Post
McMahon did not make a second mistake in the field, but he also did not atone at the plate. He popped out in the third inning, managed a walk (that did not lead to a run) in the fifth and then was subbed out for pinch hitter Paul Goldschmidt in the eighth.
Yankees shortstop José Caballero reacts after the final out of the 9th inning. Charles Wenzelberg for New York Post
In four postseason games, McMahon is 1-for-7 — the lone hit an infield single — with two walks and played despite entering the night 1-for-14 with three walks in his career against Tampa Bay starter Freddy Peralta.
Asked about sticking with McMahon, Boone indicated that he considered starting Anthony Volpe at third base, but he didn’t want his second career start at the spot to be on the bouncy turf in a playoff game. Boone also insisted José Caballero was “very much in play” — and has been every day of the playoffs, he said — “but I just like his versatility and presence off the bench, too.”
Yankees manager Aaron Boone makes a pitching change in the seventh inning of Game 2 of the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg for New York Post
Caballero, a spark plug who had appeared in only one game this postseason before Monday (as a defensive replacement in Game 2 of the wild-card series), played the role of good soldier.
“Everyone wants to be in there, but that’s why we have a manager and he’s the one making decisions,” Caballero said before entering as a defensive replacement at third base. “Just waiting on my time and trying to stay active and prepare for the moment that I get the call and try to help the team.”
The Rays plan to start righty Nick Martinez in Game 3, which normally would mean the lefty-hitting McMahon would get the nod.
Boone has another decision to make.
“Frustration. Maybe a little bit of anger in there,” McMahon said about the mood of the team. “But … the series isn’t over yet.”
"We didn't get it done," said left fielder Cody Bellinger, whose bases-loaded flyout to deep center field ended the fifth inning and kept the game tied at 1-1. "We had opportunities."
New York committed four errors while ace right-hander Cam Schlittler did not have his best stuff.
"These guys work their asses off all year to get to a position like today," said Schlittler, who allowed four runs (two earned) on six hits while striking out two and walking one in 4.1 innings pitched. "We expect a lot out of each other. It's been great all year, but we just didn't play our brand of baseball and I know we can play better baseball than that and that starts with me on the mound. We've got to flush it and get ready for Wednesday."
The best-of-five series heads to Yankee Stadium for Wednesday's 8 p.m. Game 3 with left-hander Max Fried set as the Yankees' starting pitcher.
"An opportunity to do something great," said New York manager Aaron Boone. "But it starts one play, one inning at a time. We can't play like that and expect to win, so we've got to come out Wednesday night -- everything's on the line, it's obviously all hands on deck and we've got to try and get one and then go from there.
"We're capable of doing it. This team has been really good at picking themselves up all year. We've faced some really tough moments. Talked about them having a lot of grit -- they've had that all year. We need to find it right now."
Third baseman Ryan McMahon echoed Boone's message as the Yankees exit Tropicana Field in an 0-2 hole.
"It hasn't been won yet," McMahon said. "We'll see that. We'll regroup, respect the loss. Everybody here is a little pissed off, a little upset, but we're where we're at and there's still some games left."
A team has not come back from down 0-2 and won a best-of-five series since the Yankees in the 2017 ALDS when they lost their first two games at the Cleveland Guardians but won the next three to reach the ALCS.
"Definitely going to be a challenge," said designated hitter Ben Rice, whose two solo home runs Monday were New York's only source of offense. "Going down 2-0 doesn't feel good. It's on us to find our way out of it."
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone pulls pitcher Cam Schlittler from the game in the fifth inning of Game 2 of the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — There might not be a more confident pitcher than Cam Schlittler, who does not doubt himself and did not doubt himself before Game 2.
Sure, he knew that he was about to face a lineup that excels at placing bat on ball. But he also knew he was tied for the third-most strikeouts in the majors this season.
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“I feel like if I need to get one,” he said Saturday, “I’m going to be able to do that.”
Schlittler’s prediction was off the mark because Tampa Bay’s bats were constantly on the mark.
The Yankees ace of aces was not to blame for Monday’s 5-2 loss to the Rays in the division series at Tropicana Field, but he also was not able to play hero as he had in Game 1 of the wild-card series against the Red Sox.
“All I can do is assess my outing and realize that it needs to be better than that,” said Schlittler, who blamed himself after a night he needed the help of his defense, which let him down repeatedly.
After dominating Boston through 6 ¹/₃ scoreless, 10-strikeout innings, Schlittler only punched out two Rays while allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits and a walk in 4 ¹/₃ innings.
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone (17) pulls pitcher Cam Schlittler (31) from the game in the fifth inning of Game 2 of the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg for New York Post
It started immediately, with the aggressive Rays swinging early in counts and making consistent, often loud contact in the first inning. Errors by Ryan McMahon (on a chopper) and Jazz Chisholm Jr. (an ill-advised throw to first after recording an out at second) scored one run, but Schlittler did well to limit the damage.
The game changed, though, in a four-run fifth inning during which the flame-throwing righty needed to throw pitches by Rays bats and could not.
A single by Jonathan Aranda (played conservatively by Spencer Jones, who might have had a chance at a diving catch) and a double from Junior Caminero put runners on second and third without an out in a game that was then tied 1-1.
New York Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler (31) walks back to the dugout after being pulled from the game by manager Aaron Boone (17) during the fifth inning of Game 2 of the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays. Charles Wenzelberg for New York Post
Schlittler needed one of those strikeouts. Unlike the Rays, he whiffed.
Liam Hicks managed to make contact — the softest imaginable, a tapper that traveled 5 feet in the air — but the slow roller to Chisholm was good enough to score the go-ahead run.
Next it was Chandler Simpson who fell behind 1-2 but kept fighting, eventually grazing a 3-2 sinker for a swinging bunt that went 4 feet in the air toward George Lombard Jr. The rookie shortstop had a play at the plate and knew it, his eyes toward Austin Wells instead of the ball as he booted it on a backhand attempt to let in another run.
“That’s what they do,” Schlittler said of the Rays. “I let up runs like that in April against them — just choppers in the infield — but that’s what they do. They put pressure on you, and they find a way to get those runs across.”
Schlittler said he “just didn’t have my stuff today,” his velocity up a tick from the regular season but down from his Red Sox start.
More notably, he did not have any help. Appropriately enough, Brent Headrick entered in the fifth and allowed two inherited runners to score.
The Utah Jazz held their annual open practice for fans. It’s an awesome annual event that introduces fans to old and new players. This year, Jazz fans who went got in for free and had free J Dawgs!
It’s also worth checking the comments to see all the Jazz players commenting. Utah invited Hudson, and his family and Keyonte George welcomed him to the floor.
Perhaps some rookie duties here, but I can confidently say that Darryn Peterson is much, much, much, much better at basketball than singing. pic.twitter.com/NljlNKKJp5
The Padres pull off a troll job against the Brewers.
Both the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres continue to troll one another.
While the Brewers were practicing on the field at Petco Park on Monday, the stadium had the cool, calm sound of elevator music blasting from the speakers.
Back Milwaukee, when the Padres were taking batting practice on Saturday, American Family Field was blasting “monotonous” music off the speakers.
The music the Padres have playing during the Brewers workout is a bit different from what you typically hear during batting practice.
San Diego did their best to attempt to drown out the music, as they had a Bluetooth speaker playing music next to their batting cage.
But for the Padres, the attempt to drown out the sound didn’t work as they found themselves down 2-0 in the NLDS.
Padres troll Brewers with elevator music playing off the speakers at Petco Park. AP Photo/Gregory Bull
In both games, the Padres lost in heartbreaking fashion.
On Saturday, San Diego blew a 2-2 lead in the seventh inning from a solo Wilson Contreras home run.
San Diego Padres troll the Milwaukee Brewers by blasting elevator music off the speakers at Petco Park. X / @DarnayTripp
In the ninth inning of that game, Ty France thought he had a go-ahead two-run homer, until the ball bounced off the roof of the stadium and landed in Dustin Harris’ glove.
On Sunday, superstar closing pitcher Mason Miller took the mound with a 3-2 lead in the eighth, in an attempt to make a two-inning save.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JUNE 01: Cleveland Guardians mascot Onion wins the hot dog derby during the sixth inning of the game between the Los Angeles Angels and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on June 01, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I went to game two of the ALDS today by myself.
I am a Guardians Season Ticket Holder, but in my 10-12 games a year, I always take 1-2 of our kids (ages 7, 6, almost 4, and 2). So, today was different. I got a scorecard because keeping score controls my emotions and competitive anxiety. I sat down and started talking to the older gentleman on my left who tolerated my various insights into the game very kindly.
On my right, I allowed a White Sox fan to sit in my assigned seat so he could sit next to his friends. White Sox fan person (a “boss” of some sort) was not profane or abusive. But, he very clearly had only started paying attention the past two weeks, at most. Yet, there he was, standing and screaming in joy as the team I live and die with daily failed to secure a crucial victory. His joy did not appear to be any less than mine would have been despite my significantly superior emotional investment. So… why am I bothering?
At some level, it has to be that I get joy from this. Seeing Anthony Kay spike a throw and allow two runs was joyous. 11 strikeouts from Gavin Williams was a thrill of hope for a weary world to rejoice in. Jo Adell gave me an electric moment where I thought he had deposited one in the bleachers. I do truly revel in the feelings these events produce.
But, at another level, it’s a longing to be part of something bigger and to succeed. Is Cleveland going to be a good place for me and my family to live? That’s a group project. Are we going to survive the threats of A.I., climate change, resurgent fascism, persistent totalitarianism, biological warfare and the billionaire oligarchs that profit from it all as a society? That’s a group project. I’m rooting for us. Watching my baseball team win gives me just a little glimmer of hope that winning the actual important games is possible. It makes me a believe a collection of wildly diverse people with their own special talents and roles can do impossible things when the Guardians beat the Angels on a Wednesday night.
But, the Guardians did not win tonight. The baseball Sabrowski threw to a hitter with a 19 wRC+ vs LHP caught an inch too much of the plate and landed just 36 inches fair. The ball Kwan hit to left field was almost misplayed by Antonacci and landed just inches within his glove. The ball that seemingly hit Jose was just half an inch from being obviously a hit and resulting in two runs when Adell hit his smash… glorious victory just inches away… leaving me with crushing defeat.
When I got home, our three-year old, Zalee, asked me if the Guardians won. I said, “No, but Onion won the hot dog race!” And she squealed in delight. Her primary interest in the game is if Onion wins the hot dog race. When we go to games, she is as disappointed if Onion loses as I am if the Guardians Lose.
In the big scheme of things, is my joy really that much more significant than hers? Is my disappointment more crushing? If I had to guess, I’d assume the opposite is true. Seeing her felt-covered hero of condiment fame triumph is a more significant epochal milestone for her than a World Series title would be in my 43 years on this globe.
But, I suppose I will be successful in teaching her to love this wonderful, awful, joyous, soul-crushing sport like I do (if the aformentioned billionaires let us watch it again next season, of course). Someday, Zalee will cheer, cry, thrill, deflate, and scream like I do. And, the reason that’s ok is that it will be something that reminds her and me that we are in this thing together. That we don’t win without the other feeling joy and pride, and we don’t lose without the other feeling pain and humiliation. And, that’s life. And that’s humanity.
The Guardians didn’t win today. But, Onion did. She swung her purse at the last second and broke the finish line by inches before Ketchup. So, rejoice, Zalee. It’s a good night, after all.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 05: Junior Caminero #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates after hitting a double against the New York Yankees during the fifth inning in game two of the American League Division Series at Tropicana Field on October 05, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I hate Tropicana Field. I know many of you do too. If you are not a Yankees fan and are doing what I am also guilty of doing—reading the reactions of salty fans after playoff losses—grab your popcorn. This is the good stuff you’re probably looking for.
It blows my mind that baseball games in 2026 are played at places like this. It honestly blows my mind even more that this place was destroyed by an act of God two years ago, was rebuilt despite plans to replace it in the near future, and is being used for big playoff games. The roof is baseball-colored; there is statistical proof that teams other than the Rays struggle defensively here due to a lack of experience; the turf leads to weird hops that cause more errors to be committed against the Rays than any other team in baseball. It’s the strangest home-field advantage in baseball, and one that the Rays ran roughshod over to take advantage of a Yankees team that was just not focused from the jump tonight—and one that, to be clear, absolutely deserved this atrocious loss, even if it was played in the baseball version of Elysian Fields.
Alright, enough of my anger-filled soapbox. The Yankees set the tone for this one with three brutal first-inning errors, played shoddy defense the rest of the night, and just got Rays’d. Any opportunity they had to use their speed or slap hitting, they used it. The Yankees were not prepared. Aside from two home runs from Ben Rice and an oh-so-close deep flyout from Cody Bellinger with the bases juiced, the offense was dead again in a 5-2 loss that puts the season on the brink.
When you get no-hit for nearly eight innings the game before, you desperately want to get the monkey off your back early the next night. The quality of contact was good in that first inning against Freddy Peralta, with a Ben Rice warning-track flyout and a scorched lineout from Cody Bellinger, but the Yankees went quietly in the first before the utter chaos of the bottom half.
On just Cam Schlittler’s second pitch of the game, Yandy Diaz hit a soft Trop chopper to Ryan McMahon, which he promptly booted after misreading the hop. Jonathan Aranda then lined a single up the middle for the one real hit in the inning. Needing a double play, Schlittler got Junior Caminero to spike a ball into the turf that was snared by George Lombard Jr. for a brilliant flip for a forceout. Unfortunately, Jazz Chisholm Jr. decided to throw the ball into the dugout with no chance to turn two, giving the Rays the early lead.
The defensive inning from hell continued when a three-pitch strikeout from Liam Hicks was overturned into a catcher’s interference. Awarding a batter a base for a check-swing catcher’s interference is dumb, and I will forever believe that. The speedy Chandler Simpson ripped a ball to second for what looked like a tailor-made double play, but an awful throw from Chisholm pulled Lombard off the bag. The rookie shortstop somehow managed to tap the bag after to avoid a fourth error in the inning, and Cam survived the inning from hell with only one run allowed.
We got more Trop shenanigans when Spencer Jones hit a ball a mile high off the C-ring in center field, which was caught by Victor Mesa Jr. Objectively, almost every other team drops that ball because of their lack of experience reading fly balls here, but the Rays caught it, naturally. Two more quick outs had Peralta rolling through two.
Jonny DeLuca golfed an 0-2 curveball in the dirt for a leadoff double in the second, but was stranded on a trio of groundouts surrounding a two-out walk. The bottom of the order went down quietly as well, giving Peralta a perfect game through three innings just one night after Rasmussen’s brilliance. At this point, I’m not sure the vibes could get much worse.
Schlittler continued to grind through the third, allowing singles to Caminero and Simpson, but got out of a jam after a 108.5 mph scorched grounder from DeLuca was fielded cleanly by Lombard to end the threat. Just one batter later, with the Yankees entering their 13th inning of the series with just one hit, Rice allowed everyone on the team and in the fanbase to breathe for a second, smashing a leadoff home run in the fourth to tie the game at one.
Bellinger followed with a single, but was stranded by the next three hitters. Schlittler responded to the desperate gasp for a shutdown inning, retiring the Rays in order with help from a surprisingly solid play by Trent Grisham in center field. Peralta seemed to be cruising again after retiring the first two in the fifth, but things got interesting after a bullet double by Austin Wells and a gritty walk by Ryan McMahon. The ever-aggressive Kevin Cash pulled him for Cam Booser, betting on his lefty specialist to neutralize the best hitters on the team.
He walked Rice on five pitches to bring up Bellinger with the bases loaded. This was the moment. This was where the Yankees could show who they were. For a brief second, it seemed like they would. The All-Star left fielder absolutely pummeled a bad 0-2 fastball to deep center field. 102.9 mph, 405 feet. In 12 ballparks, it’s a grand slam. In some others, it’s off the wall. Unfortunately, as has happened all too many times in the postseason in the Judge era, the big hit fell just a few inches short, landing harmlessly in the glove of DeLuca.
It’s the type of gut punch that takes the air out of a fan, and maybe it took the air out of the team. It’s not how baseball works, but maybe it is. Schlittler allowed a bullet single (that Jones maybe should’ve caught?) and a bullet double from Caminero to set up second and third with nobody out. Usually, a team’s cleanup and five-hole hitters wouldn’t be conducive to 55 and 65 mph choppers that bounce two feet in front of home plate in RBI opportunities, but these are the Rays. Both runs scored on back-to-back Baltimore chops that the Yankees had no chance of getting an out at the plate on, even if Lombard had defended the latter cleanly. That gave the Rays a 3-1 lead.
The frustration didn’t end there. After Brent Headrick entered and struck out Mesa, we got another Trop chop grounder to Lombard. Due to the bounce the ball took and the speed of DeLuca, he had to rush the throw, which forced a long stretch from Luis García Jr. If the play was made cleanly, DeLuca would’ve been out by an eyelash, which tells you how perfect they had to be, but García couldn’t squeeze the throw, and everyone was safe. Another error. One batter later, Richie Palacios hit a two-run single to effectively ice this one, making it 5-1 Rays.
We then hit a weird point in the game. Ian Seymour came in for the Rays as a lefty bulk reliever, but Aaron Boone elected to keep his righties in the dugout. As a fan who was resigned to the outcome after the Palacios single, it seems like nothing, but damn, that’s pretty rough of your manager to be so apathetic in this spot. The lineup had no pulse against him in some rough matchups.
Playing out the string, John Schreiber tossed a scoreless sixth, Ryan Weathers and Paul Blackburn combined for the seventh, and Blackburn and David Bednar combined for the ninth. For the offense, all they had left was another home run for Rice, who continues to have a postseason to remember while his teammates give him no help, like 2018 LeBron.
Bryan Baker got the save in the ninth, 1-2-3, to solidify Game 2 for the Rays. If the Yankees want to win this series and get to the ALCS, they must win three straight against a team they’ve struggled against all year and win a game at Tropicana Field on Saturday after going 2-7 there to start this season, Bleak, I know.
There will be baseball played on Wednesday. After that, it’s up to the Yankees to decide. Game 3 will be at Yankee Stadium at 8 pm EDT. It’s Max Fried (pending the birth of his child) against a pitcher to be determined, but it will likely be Nick Martinez.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Richie Palacios hit a two-run single in a four-run fifth inning and the Tampa Bay Rays took advantage of New York’s sloppy defense, beating Cam Schlittler and the Yankees 5-2 on Monday night to take a 2-0 lead in their AL Division Series.
The Rays are one victory from reaching the American League Championship Series. Game 3 in the best-of-five playoff is Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.
Ben Rice hit a pair of homers for the Yankees, who are on the verge of elimination — which would extend their World Series drought to 17 seasons. They were dominated by Drew Rasmussen in the series opener and have scored just two runs in two games with three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge out of the lineup due to a calf injury.
The small-ball Rays chased Schlittler, the likely AL Cy Young Award winner, in the fifth aided by New York’s defensive miscues.
Jonathan Aranda lined a single to start the inning and Junior Caminero ripped a double to right-center. With the infield drawn-in except second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., who was standing several feet further back on the dirt, Liam Hicks hit a bouncer to second that scored Aranda for a 2-1 lead. Chisholm’s only play was at first because he wasn’t all the way in like the rest of the infielders.
Chandler Simpson then hit a grounder that shortstop George Lombard Jr. booted, scoring Caminero to make it 3-1. It was initially ruled a hit and then changed to an error and eventually a fielder’s choice. Brent Headrick replaced Schlittler and struck out Victor Mesa Jr. After Simpson stole second, Jonny DeLuca reached on a grounder when Lombard’s throw to first was wide for New York’s fourth error.
Palacios followed with a hard single to center that increased Tampa Bay’s lead to 5-1.
That was plenty of support for one of the best bullpens in the majors.
Freddy Peralta allowed one run and three hits in 4 2/3 innings, Cam Booser pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth and Ian Seymour gave up one run on Rice’s solo shot in three innings. Bryan Baker finished with a perfect ninth for his second save in two games.
Schlittler, who was 14-6 with a 1.95 ERA and dominated Boston in the opener of the wild-card round, lasted 4 1/3 innings. He allowed four runs — two earned — and six hits. Schlittler only fanned two.
Rice sent a 2-2 changeup into the right-field seats to tie it at 1 in the fourth, ending New York’s scoreless drought in the ALDS. Rice hit 41 homers in the regular season. His drive awakened Yankees fans in the ballpark, who were drowned out by Rays fans until that point.
But a sellout crowd of 40,226 was mostly full of cowbell-ringing Rays fans who reveled in New York’s misery.
Peralta retired the first two batters in the fifth before Austin Wells ripped a double and Ryan McMahon walked. Booser replaced Peralta and walked Rice to load the bases but the lefty escaped trouble when Cody Bellinger flied out to the warning track in center.
The Yankees made three errors in the first inning but Schlittler limited the Rays to one run. New York became the first team to commit three errors in the first inning of a postseason game since the Oakland Athletics in Game 1 of the 1975 AL Championship Series against Boston, according to Sportsnet Stats.
Off the catwalk
Yankees rookie Spencer Jones hit a towering flyball off a catwalk at the quirky Trop that was caught by Rays right fielder Mesa for an out in the second inning. Jones kept running around the bases as the ball rattled around and fell to Mesa, who ran over to make the catch in center. DeLuca thought he was camped under it in center field but started pointing upward when the ball hit one of the two rings high above the field and below the roof. Mesa caught it several feet in front of DeLuca. Umpires conferred and confirmed the out, per the stadium’s ground rules.
Up next
Yankees LHP Max Fried (5-5, 2.80 ERA) and Rays RHP Nick Martinez (15-6, 3.10) are the projected starters for Game 3.
Rays second baseman Richie Palacios #1 hits a two-run RBI, in the fifth inning.
Heroes, zeros and the inside pitch from the Yankees’ 5-2 loss to the Rays in Game 2 of the ALDS in St. Petersburg, Fla:
Hero
Old-school baseball. Baseball’s best team at putting the ball in play struck out just four times total in a game started by Cam Schlittler, putting constant pressure on a Yankees defense that wilted.
Rays second baseman Richie Palacios #1 hits a two-run RBI, in the fifth inning. Charles Wenzelberg for New York Post
Zero
The entire Yankees defense. Misplays, four of which were scored as errors, from (in order) Ryan McMahon, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Austin Wells, Spencer Jones, George Lombard Jr., Lombard again and Luis García Jr. led to three unearned runs and one of the ugliest playoff performances you will see.
Unsung Hero
Brooklyn’s Richie Palacios knocked a two-run single in the fifth inning that created far too much distance for a Yankees lineup that has not solved Rays pitching (apart from Ben Rice).
Key Stat
4: Errors by the Yankees — and they probably should have been charged with five — which tied with the second most in franchise postseason history
Quote
“It’s going to be a rough ride back, but you’ve got to find out what you’re made of. It’s gut-check time.”
In 1983, an American rock band called Styx released the lead single from an upcoming rock opera album titled Kilroy Was Here. The lead single–Mr. Roboto– enjoyed months of success on the Billboard Hot 100 despite contributing to the album’s concepts about fascism and the dangerous rise of technology.
The bridge of Mr. Roboto is where the payoff really comes in. The English lines begin:
“Thank you very much, Mr. Roboto, for doing the jobs that nobody wants to.”
When I think of Marc Gatcomb, the newest fourth liner for the Vegas Golden Knights, I think of those lyrics.
By nature, being a fourth liner in the NHL is all about doing thankless jobs. They sacrifice their bodies every night, finishing every check and eating pucks like rubber is part of the food pyramid. They make their living in the corners and around the net, often called the “dirty areas.” And they do all this for as low a salary cap hit as possible.
Through three games for the Golden Knights, Gatcomb, who previously played for the New York Islanders, is going above and beyond to do what is asked of him. He leads the team with 14 hits and has drawn a penalty.
In Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks, Gatcomb demonstrated he can contribute offensively, too. After conceding the tying goal, Golden Knights head coach Ryan Craig sent the fourth line over the boards to provide a spark. And they did just that: they made their presence felt with a heavy forecheck, which immediately led to a Canucks turnover.
Just 34 seconds later, Gatcomb got to the front of the net and finished off a pass from Braeden Bowman to record his first goal in a Golden Knights sweater.
Marc Gatcomb buries the rebound to put Vegas back on top ⚔️
“You want to try to tilt the ice back in your favor for sure, and do anything you can,” said Gatcomb following the team’s 3-2 win. “A goal’s always great, but that’s not always going to happen. But I think you just gotta try to get the momentum back in your hands, and that’s what we did tonight.”
Gatcomb was thrilled to contribute offensively, but he was most proud of the identity the new-look fourth line is beginning to establish.
“As a 4th line, you like to have an identity and a role as to how you want to play each night, and try not to get away from it,” Gatcomb said. “Ultimately, the goal is to win hockey games and to do anything you can to contribute, and that’s not always going to be a [goal], but anytime you can chip in on the score sheet, it's great. We’re trying to build an identity here. And as we continue playing, and playing how we want, I think the chances are going to come in our favor.”
The fourth-liner’s role is the most selfless position in hockey. The job description requires doing the jobs no one really wants to do, while expecting nothing in return. And who better exemplifies that thankless job than Gatcomb, the Golden Knights’ very own Mr. Roboto?
After a roaring 2-0 start to the season that featured 13 goals scored, the Pittsburgh Penguins were probably due for a bit of a regression.
And that happened in the third game of the young season on Monday.
The Winnipeg Jets defeated the Penguins, 3-2, in what was a flat, sluggish effort for the home team in black and gold. Ben Kindel and Declan Carlile each recorded their second goals of the season, but it wasn't enough to stop a third-period push by Winnipeg or enough to overcome their sloppy play in all three zones.
Rookie Sergei Murashov was in goal for the first time this season, and he was largely outstanding and kept the game close, stopping 30 of 33 Jets' shots.
"I thought he played well," head coach Dan Muse said. "You look at that first period, especially in the last five to seven minutes, some of the saves that he made. I thought that we were not on point, and he made some huge saves to kind of weather some storms there.
"So, that’s [all] you can ask for."
A no-score stalemate carried into the second period, as both teams had a hard time generating anything and getting any sort of sustained pressure. Finally, Kindel broke through midway through the middle frame when he deflected a high shot by Carlile into the back of the net. It was ruled no-goal on the ice due to a high stick but was overturned on an official review afterward.
Then, the third period happened - as did several defensive breakdowns. Erik Karlsson lost possession of the puck at the net-front, and it trickled right to a completely uncovered Alex Iafallo on Murashov's left, who buried it to tie the game. A few minutes later, Adam Lowry capitalized after beating Sam Girard to a loose puck in the crease to give the Jets the lead.
Carlile tied the game back up shortly after. Ville Koivunen - back in the lineup after being a healthy scratch Saturday - worked hard to win a puck battle and keep possession in the offensive zone, and he fed Kindel below the goal line, who already knew he was going to throw the puck to Carlile in the slot immediately.
But that lead didn't last long at all. Nine seconds later, Cole Perfetti one-timed a perfect pass by Josh Morrissey off the rush, and the Jets came away with the 3-2 win.
It was ugly. It was sloppy. But it was also only game three.
As philosopher - er, netminder - Murashov says:
"You can think a lot, but there is a saying in Russian: 'Morning is wiser than evening.' So, just take a good sleep, rest, and calmly think about that tomorrow, so we can get better from this game. There is always something good, and there is always something to improve."
Here are a few takeaways from this one:
- To be clear, Murashov is not going to be a perfect goaltender this season, as wise as he is for a 22-year-old. He's a rookie, and there are games where he's going to be off the mark. That's going to happen to any goaltender in the league, young or old, on occasion.
But, man, the talent is so clear.
The Penguins had a 10-4 shot advantage midway through the first period, and the Jets really turned it on in the back half, ending the opening frame with 12 shots to Pittsburgh's 11. Murashov had to make several grade-A stops in that timeframe, with his most impressive, perhaps, being one that came as a result of his own mishap.
Murashov loves to play the puck. Sometimes, to a fault. He went to play the puck in the low slot with a lot of bodies coming into the attacking zone and in the vicinity, and he gave the puck away to a Jet at the blue line. Somehow, he scooted back and went full butterfly for an stop to his left on a one-timer, and he made it look effortless.
That's not a save most goaltenders make. I have no clue how he was able to stay graceful enough to scramble back that smoothly or how he was quick enough to get back and make that save.
Maybe he could have saved Perfetti's goal. But, at the end of the day, the Penguins were in this game because of the rookie, who is still adjusting to NHL speed after a phenomenal AHL playoff run.
Well, maybe not, actually.
"Puck's the same size, net's the same size, and we're playing five-on-five," Murashov said. "So, [it's] basically same thing I got to do. But we have great coaches who help a lot with adjustment. It all starts from preparation, from summer, from training camp. When you're practicing on this speed or even higher speed, and even in harder situations, you embrace it, and then you just go and play.
Another phrase which our psychologist gave to me is, "Train hard, fight easy." So that's the approach to be ready for the NHL."
This kid is special. Expect some growing pains, but there's something there.
- This was a really sluggish, flat start for the Penguins. They may have reached a double-digit shot total in the first period, but it didn't feel like it. They had a hard time getting sustained zone time, many chances were one-off, and none were particularly dangerous looks.
They also had far too many turnovers - a few by Erik Karlsson and one egregious one by Connor Dewar - and made Murashov work way too hard.
It took them a while to get find their footing in the middle frame, too, but they were at least able to start generating more offense. Still too many good looks for Winnipeg, but a much better job as the game went on.
Once again, though, it's going to take some time for everyone to mesh. There are plenty of new faces on this team, and it's not going to be smooth-sailing every night, especially in the earlygoing.
- This sentiment has been making some rounds, and I felt this game was an appropriate time to chime in on the Dewar discourse.
To be honest, I was a bit surprised when he was extended this summer. It's not as if he's a bad player. Dewar, 27, had a really solid season for the Penguins in 2025-26 - recording 14 goals and 30 points in 78 games to go along with an impressive plus-16 last season, the last number being rare for a fourth-liner - and he and Lizotte have good chemistry on that fourth line. He kills penalties, and he's a key energy guy.
But for those who are worried about the Bryan Rusts, the Rickard Rakells, and the Evgeni Malkins blocking younger players from the lineup, the guys like Dewar are the central culprits. Dewar played well enough to earn a contract this summer, but at the end of the day, he's a replaceable bottom-six player.
I have a feeling that we're going to see a large rotation of sorts in the bottom-six to begin the season, with many different players - Dewar included - in and out of the lineup. But, if we're going based on training camp and the three-game sample size up to this point, I think all of Filip Hallander, Ville Koivunen, and Elmer Soderblom have been better.
We'll see how things shake out. But I think both Hallander and Koivunen deserve to remain in the lineup right now. In any case, this "rotation" is probably serving as a tryout of sorts to see who separates himself and earns full-time minutes over the others.
- As I said after the last game, I think all the new Penguins' defensemen have done some good things through three games. Trevor van Riemsdyk is good in front of his own net and makes some high-level stick plays. Kaedan Korczak has been good in his own zone, by and large, and is a shot-blocking machine.
However, I have been most impressed by Carlile. He blocked three shots against the Jets. He scored his second goal of the season to seal career-highs in goals (2) and points (4). He is good in the neutral zone and is more fleet of foot than I thought.
Karlsson was a bit of a mess tonight, but Carlile - his partner - managed to hold it together. This could be a Parker Wotherspoon situation again, although Carlile appears to have more offensive upside.
- Speaking of Karlsson, his "bad games" are fewer and farther between these days.
But, when they're bad, they're bad.
This was the worst game I've seen him play in a while, and Sidney Crosby was the same way. Crosby had four giveaways, and his passing was a bit off. Karlsson straight-up passed the puck to Jets on a few occasions and also misplayed the puck on Iafallo's goal.
When Crosby is off, the Penguins can typically find ways around that. When Karlsson is off, though, the whole team seems to be off.
This might be what folks call a "hot take," but right now, Karlsson is the single-most important player on this team. The game goes as he goes, the team plays as he does, and the season is most dependent on his performance and health.
Hopefully, he has a short memory with this one.
- Wednesday, the Penguins will face the Washington Capitals for the first time this season. Alex Ovechkin announced Monday that this will be his final season in the NHL.
For the second time in three years, the Yankees had a disastrous defensive game in the postseason and it cost them again, this time in a 5-2 loss to the Rays Monday night in Game 2 of the AL Division Series.
The Yanks made four errors in the loss, leading to three unearned runs, and they now teeter on the brink of elimination, down two games to none in the best-of-five series. Game 3 is set for Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.
Two years ago, the Yankee defense collapsed in Game 5 of the World Series against the Dodgers and they were eliminated. But even that game only featured three Yankee errors – in the box score, anyway.
Monday’s debacle was only the fifth time the Yankees have made four errors in a single postseason game. The last time was in the 2019 ALCS against the Astros.
The Yankees have scored only twice so far in the series, on two solo home runs by Ben Rice Monday night. No Aaron Judge, who is out with a calf injury, certainly doesn’t help.
Here are the main takeaways...
-- Yankee starter Cam Schlittler was not nearly as brilliant as he’s been in his previous postseason outings. He lasted just 4.1 innings and allowed seven hits and four runs (only two earned). He struck out just two and didn’t have a strikeout until the fourth inning and got only seven swings-and-misses. He also walked one. His career postseason ERA rose from 0.87 to 1.44.
-- The Yankees defensive implosion started in the very first inning and set a dubious club record for errors in a single postseason frame – three. The Yankees had never had three errors in one October inning and this is the 61st postseason appearance in the Yankees’ existence. The Yanks last committed three errors in an inning in any game on Aug. 21, 2025 against the Red Sox. The last time it happened in any postseason game was Game 5 of the 2015 ALDS when the Rangers did it in a loss to the Blue Jays.
-- Ryan McMahon, who has a fine defensive reputation, though he has not had his best season with the glove, made the first miscue when the leadoff hitter, Yandy Díaz, hit a topspin bouncer to him that McMahon muffed. Jonathan Aranda followed with a single and then Junior Caminero hit what could’ve been a double-play grounder to short. George Lombard Jr. made a not-that-graceful flip to the bag and Jazz Chisholm Jr. grabbed it and threw wildly to first. Díaz scored and Caminero went to second.
Then it seemed like Schlittler had Hicks struck out, but, upon replay review, Austin Wells was called for catcher’s interference – his mitt was clearly in the path of Hicks’ bat. That was the third error of the inning. They nearly had a fourth – Chisholm fielded Simpson’s grounder but threw high to second base, pulling Lombard off the bag. But Lombard got back in time for a force out. Schlittler got a grounder from Victor Mesa to mercifully end the inning. The Yankees only allowed one run, but all the gaffes forced Schlittler to endure some tense moments and extra pitches.
-- The Rays scored four runs in the fifth inning and knocked out Schlittler. They got some weak contact and used their speed to exploit it. Poor Yankee defense helped, too. Aranda started the inning with a single and Caminero followed with a ringing double. With the infield mostly in – Chisholm was further back than the rest of the infielders – Liam Hicks hit a grounder that was slow enough to allow Aranda to score.
Chandler Simpson later hit a soft grounder to short that Lombard couldn’t backhand and another run scored. The scoring on that play was changed several times, but it was ultimately scored a fielder's choice. But Lombard then made a throwing error to further prolong the inning and Richie Palacios added a single after an eight-pitch bout with reliever Brent Headrick that scored two more runs.
-- The Yanks went nine up, nine down the first time through their batting order as Rays starter Freddy Peralta looked sharp. But Rice tied the score at 1 with a 372-foot drive over the right-field fence. Rice connected on the fourth of four consecutive changeups from Peralta. Rice also homered in the eighth inning, giving him four home runs in four games this postseason.
-- In the fifth, the Yanks had a big chance with two outs, but could not cash in. Wells lashed a double into the right-field corner that looked a lot like the ball he hit in Game 1 and got thrown out trying to stretch into a triple. He wisely stopped at second this time. McMahon then worked a walk in a tough, seven-pitch at-bat. He was the last batter that Peralta faced. He came out with Rice coming up to the plate.
Rice worked another walk against southpaw Cam Booser, which brought up Cody Bellinger, who was 11th in MLB this season with a .340 average with runners in scoring position. Bellinger hit a deep fly ball to the warning track in center that held some hope, but it was caught.
-- Peralta, the former Met who got his pitching together in Tampa Bay, lasted 4.2 innings and allowed one run and three hits. He struck out three and walked one. The outing lowered his career postseason ERA from 4.32 to 4.03.
Highlights
BEN RICE! The Yankees finally have their first run of the ALDS! https://t.co/b7uVHF7PeQ
Celerbrini took part in warmups before the game against the Dallas Stars, but the team announced before puck drop that he wouldn't be playing. Alex Wennberg took his spot on the top line.
The Sharks fell 5-0 to the Stars, their first loss of the season. They had won their first two games with Celebrini picking up five assists.
Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky didn't have an update on Celebrini after the game.
"We will evaluate tonight and tomorrow and see where he's at," Warsofky said, per the Bay Area News Group. "He's still being evaluated. He's in the building, so he's with the team."
