Category: MLB

Another Yankees postseason run has come to a close in devastating fashion as the Rays executed the three-game sweep with a 4-3 win in the Bronx to advance to the ALCS. It’s the first time that the Yankees have been swept in a best-of-five series since 1980.

One thing that was true about this game: it was truly a rollercoaster of emotions. The New York offense finally showed signs of life for the first time in the series and came out swinging, but it was all for naught. The Rays ultimately sealed the victory with a two-run homer from Victor Mesa Jr. in the sixth that the Yankees just couldn’t overcome. They made some noise before going down in a one-run loss.

Aside from giving up a single to Yandy Díaz on the first pitch of the game that quickly injected even more nerves into Yankee fans than there already was, Max Fried did well keeping the Rays’ offense quiet until the third inning. Jonathan Aranda ripped one to right in the third and allowed Jonny DeLuca to cross home plate, but Taylor Walls got caught in a rundown. Austin Wells tagged him out, bringing the Yankees to the plate.

Soon after that, the Yankees’ offense also started to make waves when Ben Rice drilled a single to right that brought in Spencer Jones to tie it up before the Rays could make the play at home.

However, the excitement quickly faded to nerves again as Ryan Vilade sent a go-ahead home run just over Jones’ leap and into the short porch in the fourth, marking Fried’s second run allowed of the evening. He struck out Liam Hicks in four pitches to give the Yankees offense another scoring opportunity.

After giving up a double to Jones that allowed Anthony Volpe from first to tie the score 2-2, Rays lefty Ian Seymour replaced Nick Martinez, who allowed five hits, a walk, and two runs through 3.2 innings.

It was curtains for Fried in the sixth inning after he gave up a two-run shot to Victor Mesa Jr. that put the Rays ahead 4-2. He finished his outing with seven strikeouts, seven hits, and four runs allowed through 5.2 innings.

All hope was briefly lost again until the bottom of the sixth, when Volpe slammed one to left in what initially appeared to be a two-run homer to tie it up, but the call was reviewed due to potential interference. A fan reached his hand slightly over the wall to make contact with the ball, but it was far enough for the officials to determine that Mesa wasn’t going to make the play. The final ruling gave George Lombard Jr. the run and put Volpe on second, allowing the Yankees to cut the deficit by a run.

Blackburn replaced Fried in the sixth and got through 1.2 innings unscathed, then was retired in the eighth for the Yankees to bring in Bednar from the bullpen.

The offense was quiet again, but all the signs of an explosion were there for Giancarlo Stanton to pinch-hit for Austin Wells in the bottom of the eighth with two outs and the go-ahead run on first. Unfortunately, unlike several Yankee playoff games in the past, Stanton never got his moment and struck out swinging to effectively put the nail in the coffin for the Yankees — or at least put it in position.

Bednar got through the top of the ninth, giving Volpe another shot at evening the score with Bryan Baker on to close for Tampa Bay. He struck him out on seven pitches before walking Jones on four pitchers and threw his first offering wide to Jazz Chisholm Jr. Chisholm didn’t start the game but entered as a pinch-hitter a couple innings prior. He bounced into a fielder’s choice this time up, putting the Yankees down to their last out.

Comically, Trent Grisham was their final hope since he was the controversial choice to lead off in the lineup despite barely playing this past month and looking bad when he did. Chisholm stole second to move into scoring position, but it was to no avail. Grisham struck out horribly, as anticipated, giving the Rays a cakewalk to the ALCS to face the winner of the White Sox/Guardians Division Series.

For just one note of context, the Yankees posted one of the worst offensive showings in franchise history. This is no exaggeration, per Stathead’s Katie Sharp:

This marks another painful end to the season for the Yankees, an all-too-familiar situation that they’ve found themselves in once again. With the rumors circulating of an impending lockout, all we can hope is that the owners and the union reach an agreement so they can bring back the game we all love most in 2027 with minimal games lost.

Thanks for joining us on this wild ride.

Box Score

Aaron Boone has managed the Yankees for nine seasons now, but as the team prepares for the offseason after another disappointing postseason finish, what is the skipper's job status? 

It's a question that's asked seemingly after every postseason exit over the last few years, but if you asked GM Brian Cashman, it's clear how he feels.

When he was asked about Boone's job status by FOX Sports' Deesha Thosar prior to Wednesday's ALDS Game 3 against the Rays, it doesn't seem like a change is imminent.

"I think Boone's a really good manager," Cashman said. "We're here for a reason. There are a lot of reasons behind that, and certainly he's part of that."

Unless the Yankees extend his contract this offseason, the 2027 season will be Boone's last under his current deal. 

But Boone expects to be back next season, but is not ready to think about what his future looks like.

"That’s for another day. Right now is about trying to reflect on this. Try to connect with guys as much as I can," Boone said after the Game 3 loss. "Appreciative of a lot of things. But those conversations and things are for another day."

The skipper has amassed an impressive 790-565 regular season record, which ranks seventh in franchise history, and has missed the postseason just once in his nine seasons (2023). In all nine seasons under Boone, the Yankees have finished above .500, but it's the lack of World Series championships that has plagued Boone and the Yankees since he took over in 2018. 

In eight postseasons, the Yankees have made the World Series just once, and after Wednesday's loss, they've been bounced in the ALDS for the second consecutive year. 

The Yankees are 27-30 in the postseason under Boone.

Aaron Boone was asked about his contract status and his future with the Yankees:

"That's for another day. Right now is about trying to reflect on this, trying to connect with guys right now as much as I can." pic.twitter.com/K827gkVSkV

— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) October 8, 2026

But ask any of the players and they support Boone. Cody Bellinger was asked about his skipper before Game 3 and he spoke positively about Boone and the winning culture he's created.

"Boony is a great guy to play for. I've played for four really good managers, in my opinion, and my transition over here was smooth," Bellinger said. "It's all about winning here. When you put on this logo, it's all about winning, and we understand that. We understand what comes with the logo, what comes with the history, and he helps present that."

Even after a tough loss, Aaron Judge gave Boone his flowers when speaking of the managerial job he did handling injuries to himself, Giancarlo Stanton, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and others.

“He’s our manager. He’s running this ship,"Judge said. "Especially a season like this. I’m banged up, missing 100 games. You miss Big G, Cole, Rodon. Miss a lot of guys. Trent Grisham for a little bit, Cody Bellinger, who was an MVP for us. For him to manage it the way he did and put us in the best position in the playoffs and give us an opportunity to win a World Series."

"He’s definitely had our back, and is our guy."

But you can also ask the players what they need to do to get over the hump in the postseason. While they thought they had what it took, they didn't have a specific answer.

"Don’t really have an answer for you," Cam Schlittler said. "Last year, this year pretty similar. Going on the road, and not playing the way we’re capable of. I look at today and thought the guys played great, they battled. Honestly, just a good game by [the Rays] as well. Don’t have an answer for you. We have an opportunity to go into the offseason, have a chip on our shoulder and take it into next season.”

“There’s a standard to win a championship. It’s black and white, there’s no gray area," Judge said. "Every little thing you do, are you working towards a championship or are you not? That’s the biggest thing. Everyone in the room understanding that you have to bring it every single day. Especially here in New York. There’s no days off. It comes down to the little things.”

While Cashman's -- and Judge's -- vote of confidence ahead of Game 3 should close the book on speculation involving Boone's managerial status, until he inks an extension, those questions will continue, especially after the Yankees suffered another early postseason exit.

Junior Caminero had no problem rubbing salt in the Yankees’ wound after the Rays swept the Bronx Bombers out of the playoffs. 

The Rays third baseman taunted Yankees fans after Bryan Baker struck out Trent Grisham for the game’s final out and secured the ALDS sweep at Yankee Stadium. 

The TNT broadcast captured Caminero mimicking a sweeping broom while looking into the stands before going over to join his teammates in celebration.

Caminero wasn’t done there. 

MLB posted a video on social media of Caminero doing an impression of David Ortiz by saying his signature “da Yankees lose!”

Caminero did it while he was on the field, shouting the phrase and putting his hand against his head to mimic sleep. 

He shouted it again while speaking with Spanish-speaking media inside the Rays clubhouse and another time when TNT’s Lauren Shehadi interviewed him. 

“The best! The best! Sweep!” Caminero shouted when Shehadi asked him about celebrating a series victory at Yankee Stadium. “Da Yankees lose!”

The two-time Rays All-Star batted .300 during the series with three hits. 

While celebrating inside the clubhouse, Caminero also told Shehadi that he is “the best in the world.”

The Los Angeles Dodgers are that much closer to history.

Andy Pages came through in the biggest at-bat of his life, driving in the go-ahead runs on a bases-loaded single up the middle in the top of the seventh inning to break a tie and power LA to a decisive 4-1 win in Game 4 of the NLDS, eliminating the Atlanta Braves and punching the Dodgers' ticket to the NLCS for the third consecutive year.

For a Dodgers squad that's dealt with inconsistency over the second half of the season, thanks to a myriad of injuries and prolonged slumps from key players like Shohei Ohtani, Blake Snell and outright disappointing campaigns from new additions Kyle Tucker and Edwin Díaz, they seem to be piecing things together at just the right time.

Ohtani was dropped to fifth in the lineup for Game 3 after his rough start at the plate in the postseason and was moved up to the cleanup spot in Game 4. He found a way to make an impact despite his cold bat, drawing a five-pitch walk from Braves starter Tyler Mahle in the top of the second inning, stealing second base and taking third on a throwing error before scoring on another error when Mauricio Dubón dropped a pop-up from Max Muncy in shallow left field to tie the game.

The bullpen seems to be in good shape, too, picking up the slack on a night where Tyler Glasnow just didn't have his command.

The pieces seem to be lining up for the Dodgers at the right time, but what awaits them in the NLCS? That part's still up in the air.

Here's a breakdown of each possible opponent:

It’s not a Los Angeles Dodgers postseason celebration unless Kiké Hernández is partying with members of the media.

Since the Dodgers advanced to the NLCS following a 4-1 victory on the road against the Atlanta Braves, videos have started to emerge of Hernández pouring alcohol on everyone in the locker room.

That included members of the media.

Before the festivities began, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had his team gathered in the locker room and told the team, “I want to give props to Kiké,” to which Hernández immediately responded by saying, “I do this s—. F— you talking about?”

Then the champagne popping commenced, and the party started in the visitors’ locker room at Truist Park.

Hernández was spotted soaking wet next to host of “Dodger Talk” David Vassegh who was just as wet due to the alcohol that was being sprayed throughout the room.

Vassegh was wearing a 1970s-inspired Dodgers shirt that featured Hernández’s face on it.

Vassegh told Hernández that he was the hype man for Edwin Diaz, and Hernández responded by saying, “I’m the hype man for a lot of people. That’s part of why I’m here.”

He then went on to joke with the host to tell him that he’s having a “wet t-shirt contest.” Hernández ended the interview by thanking him and saying, “Nice nipples,” leaving Vassegh in laughter.

Dodgers dugout reporter Kristen Watson had a more pleasant experience with Hernández as he started pouring a bottle of champagne over her head when their interview first started.

“Oh, baby, that’s cold,” Watson said as Hernández was pouring a bottle over her head. “But it feel so good.”

Watson went on to continue her question to Hernández by asking him about winning big games in the postseason, the group they have, and how they were able to pull through the NLDS.

“It doesn’t matter how many of these you have; you can’t take them for granted. These are special,” Hernández said to Watson. “Knowing we had to earn it. It was a great series. Very well-pitched series. We toughened it out.”

Hernández delivered in Tuesday night’s Game 3 matchup when he gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning by blasting his 17th career postseason home run against Chris Sale.

Shortly after, Freddie Freeman followed with a solo shot over the right field wall.

Near the midway point of his interview with Hernández was unaware that Tanner Scott was pouring alcohol down his shirt until Watson told him. “I’m so wet, that I didn’t even feel that I was getting more wet,” Hernández said.

Tampa Bay Rays superstar Junior Caminero was at the center of the team's postgame party as they celebrated sweeping the New York Yankees in the ALDS.

It began on the field after the final out, as he did a dramatic sweeping gesture. He then was seen shouting "the Yankees lose!" − a phrase made famous by his countryman David Ortiz − while doing Stephen Curry's "night night" celebration.

But the real partying began in the locker room.

"Sweep! The Yankees lose!" Caminero shouted during an interview.

He gave high praise to Rays pitchers Drew Rasmussen, Nick Martinez and Bryan Baker, declaring them the best pitchers in the league. Asked what he was best at in the league, Caminero replied "I'm the best in the world."

Caminero hit 42 home runs in the regular season and had a strong ALDS for the top-seeded Rays. Tampa Bay will now await the winner of the White Sox-Guardians series in the ALCS.

"I'm the best in the world"

Junior Caminero is having a time in the Rays clubhouse! pic.twitter.com/W5OkJmCFqx

— MLB (@MLB) October 8, 2026

Just like the rest of the Yankees in this series, Max Fried wasn’t good enough.

Pitching in an elimination game for the second time in his career, the lefty at times looked dominant but allowed runs in three of his last four innings in Wednesday’s season-ending 4-3 loss to the Rays in The Bronx in Game 3 of the ALDS. 

The big blow was a two-run shot by Victor Mesa Jr. to give Tampa Bay the lead in the sixth inning.

“It’s just as simple as: I threw a bad pitch,’’ Fried said. “I left it up. The guy hit a home run, just two more runs. Kind of put it out of reach. It really sucks because we played a good game. We played a really sound game and did enough to win. And unfortunately I didn’t do enough to be able to kind of hold up my end of the bargain.”

The Yankees said prior to the game that there wasn’t really a debate about whether to go with Fried or fellow southpaw Carlos Rodón, with pitching coach Matt Blake saying Tuesday, “Max has been one of our guys and we want to ride him here.”

It was an understandable decision, even as Rodón was perhaps the rotation’s best pitcher down the stretch outside of AL Cy Young favorite Cam Schlittler.

Rodón said he supported whatever decision the Yankees made, but seemed bewildered about not having pitched at all in the playoffs after throwing so well down the stretch.

And now the Yankees head into the offseason with Rodón not having been a factor in the postseason.

The real issue the Yankees had against their AL East rivals, who they couldn’t catch in the division and proved to be no match for in the playoffs, was their offense.

Fried, just like Gerrit Cole and Schlittler — who started the first two games of the series, respectively — was forced to be nearly perfect.

And he wasn’t.

It was not the ace-like outing the Yankees were looking for from the left-hander after he’d been fully built up following a 2 ½-week absence in August due to inflammation in his left elbow related to the bone bruise he had in the area earlier in the season.

Asked about the elbow, Fried said, “It doesn’t matter. Everyone’s not feeling good. You take the ball, you go out there, and no one remembers if you feel good, if you felt 100 percent, but it doesn’t matter.”

He added he didn’t think he’d need surgery on the elbow as he headed into the offseason.

Well the Braves’ season is over, despite Tyler Mahle’s and Michael Harris’ best efforts. Now we move into the offseason that holds ample uncertainty for the sport and for the team. A lockout is essentially inevitable at this point and the owners seem geared up to instigate the most contentious set of CBA negotiations in decades as they push for a salary cap. The status of next season is very much in question. Meanwhile, this Braves team may be undergoing coaching changes and has significant player needs. If you thought a starting pitcher was a must last year, its much more of a necessity this year, though hopefully the return of Tyler Mahle can mitigate that issue. The team is also in need of an injection of talent on offense, as the offense has really struggled since a historically productive 2023, followed by an incredibly unlucky 2024 and the subsequent firing of Kevin Seitzer.

Braves News

Tyler Mahle put together another stellar performance, but the offense no-showed again, as the Braves bowed out in the NLDS.

Walt Weiss shared some reflections on the season and the playoffs.

MLB News

The Rays swept the Yankees in a win for the small market teams (and perhaps the MLBPA, paradoxically).

The Guardians avoided a sweep at the hands of the White Sox, sending their ALDS series to a fourth game.

Mason Miller returned from the paternity list ahead of the Padres’ game 4 against Milwaukee.

Trent Grisham hit leadoff with the idea of getting more base runners on in front of Ben Rice. 

Instead, Yankees season ended with Grisham striking out for the third time of the night — with Rice in the on-deck circle — in a 4-3 loss to the Rays in Game 3 of the ALDS. 

With the Yankees fighting for survival, Grisham got the call to hit leadoff — despite being the worst leadoff hitter in the game this season. 

He popped out in the first, struck out looking in the third, lined out to left in the fifth and whiffed looking again in the seventh, this time getting booed by the Stadium crowd. 

And in the bottom of the ninth, with Jazz Chisholm Jr. representing the tying run at second and two outs, Grisham was no match for lefty closer Bryan Baker. 

The move to bat Grisham leadoff was made despite the fact that among the 16 players with at least 350 plate appearances at the top of the lineup in the majors, Grisham had the lowest batting average (.199) and OPS (.680). 

But he also entered the game with considerable success against Wednesday’s starter for Tampa Bay, Nick Martinez. 

Heading into the game, Grisham was 4-for-6 with three doubles and two walks versus the right-hander. 

And with Rice providing most of the Yankees offense in this series, Aaron Boone said he was looking to get people on base for his top hitter this postseason. 

“Just trying to find somewhere we can get some on base, especially in front of [Rice], as well as he’s playing right now and maximize that as much as we can,’’ Boone said before Game 3. “I considered a lot of different avenues and settled on that.” 

Nothing — outside of Rice — worked in the first two games of the series after the Yankees finally got going in the wild-card series against the Red Sox. 

Grisham mostly hit leadoff a year ago in the postseason, but his offense took a huge step back during the regular season — which led to the center fielder hitting seventh in his previous three starts during these playoffs. 

With his Yankees future very much in doubt after this season — when he was playing on the qualifying offer following his 34-homer year in 2025 — the Yankees were willing to end their season with the lefty-swinging Grisham getting the most plate appearances in an elimination game. 

He had been in the middle of a brutal slump when he missed most of the final month of the season with a strained right hamstring — his second of the year. 

But the Yankees activated him for the playoffs, taking a chance Grisham would find his timing and rhythm in time to make an impact. 

It didn’t happen.

Heroes, zeros and the inside pitch from the Yankees’ 4-3 loss to the Rays in Game 3 of the ALDS in the Bronx:

Hero

Victor Mesa Jr. gave the Rays the lead for good with a two-run homer with two outs in the sixth off lefty Max Fried. 

Zero 

The Yankee lineup produced just five runs in the series, so while Fried was far from his best Wednesday, he was given no margin for error, since almost every bat other than Ben Rice’s went silent. 

Unsung hero

The Rays bullpen gave up just one run in 5 ¹/₃ innings in relief of Nick Martinez, with five relievers mostly shutting down the Yankees. 

Key stat 

17: Years since the Yankees last won a World Series title. 

Quote 

“Fire Boone.” 

— The Stadium crowd chanted its displeasure about manager Aaron Boone after the final out of the game.

Jeffrey Maier has the wrong kind of company in Yankees lore — nearly 30 years to the day.

The then-12-year-old Maier is famously known for aiding a Derek Jeter fly ball to right field by reaching over Tony Tarasco’s glove and helping the ball clear the wall for what was ruled a game-tying homer in the bottom of the eighth inning of Game 1 of the 1996 ALCS on Oct. 9 at the old Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees went on to win the game 5-4, the series 4-1, and eventually the World Series.

History repeated itself, just in reverse, during the bottom of the sixth inning during Game 3 of the ALDS from The Bronx on Wednesday night as Anthony Volpe drilled a ball to left field.

The blast was initially ruled a game-tying home run, but it did not stand, as MLB has the benefit of replay in 2026.

A review showed the ball hit the outstretched hands of an adult fan in the field of play and rolled up his arms over the wall.

The call was changed to fan interference, resulting in a double that allowed George Lombard Jr. to score.

It pulled the Yankees within 4-3 of the Rays in the elimination game that the Bombers would go on to lose by the same score.

“After viewing all relevant angles, the Replay Official definitively determined the spectator interfered with the ball over the field of play,” MLB’s Replay Center said in a statement. “The ball would not have left the playing field nor would it have been caught. The call is OVERTURNED, there was spectator interference and no home run. Additionally, the Replay Official scored one run and placed the batter-runner at second.

Fans were quick to make the connection between the two moments and had plenty of fun with it. 

“Yankees really got Jeffrey Mayer 2.0 out here smh,” X user @Peterson_IsKing wrote. 

Added @BuffaloAdam: “Almost 30 years to the day of the Jeffrey Maier game! (10/9/96). Guessing Tony Tarasco would have loved some replay that night. “

“DO NOT REVERSE THIS CALL,” @brianwaters chimed in. “[Jeffrey] Maier interference was waaaay worst.”

Others took some joy in the fact that the Yankees didn’t get the benefit of the play this time around, including the son of former Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken Jr., who was a member of that 1996 team. 

At least this one went against the Yankees…” Ryan Ripken posted.    

Added Barasrtool Sport’s Barstools Jerry Thornton: The universe finally corrected itself after the gross injustice of Jeffrey Maier.”

“That fan went from Jeffrey Maier to Steve Bartman,” @Polar39e posted.

It will be a moment Yankees fans will not soon forget, just for all the wrong reasons.

Another Yankees season ended in disappointment Wednesday night when the Tampa Bay Rays came to Yankee Stadium and finished off a sweep in the AL Division Series. 

The Rays beat the Yanks, 4-3, in Game 3 of the best-of-five affair, meaning the Bronx Bombers are still without a World Series title since 2009, a drought that equals the 17 years without a title the club endured from 1979 through 1995.

The Yankees rallied from several deficits Wednesday and had seemingly tied the score in the sixth inning, though a flashback to 1996 did not go the Yankees’ way – fan interference made Anthony Volpe settle for an RBI double instead of a tying two-run homer. 

The Rays’ celebration of their berth in the ALCS was their second party of the season at Yankee Stadium – they also clinched the AL East title in the Bronx.

Here are the main takeaways...

-- The Yankee offense was horrid throughout the series, with failure up and down the lineup. They had seven hits in Game 3, but that was more than half their total for the series. The Yanks went 12-for-89 (.135) and scored just five runs in three games. They had a .247 slugging percentage and a .436 OPS. Trent Grisham was 0-for-11. Jazz Chisholm Jr. was 0-for-8, Cody Bellinger was 1-for-12, Luis García Jr. was 1-for-10 and Spencer Jones was 1-for-9. 

-- Manager Aaron Boone made some lineup changes for Game 3 hoping for a spark and he got one, at least from his move of inserting Anthony Volpe at second base in place of Chisholm. Volpe singled and scored in the fourth inning and then hit one of the most impactful balls of the night in the sixth. José Caballero, who started at third in place of Ryan McMahon, was 0-for-2. Boone also moved Grisham to the leadoff spot, but he fizzled, going 0-for-5.

-- In the ninth, the Yankees got the tying run into scoring position, to no avail. Rays closer Bryan Baker struck out Volpe leading off but then walked Jones on four pitches. Baker then got Chisholm, who had entered two innings earlier as a pinch-hitter, to ground into a fielder’s choice for the second out. Chisholm stole second to put the tying run in scoring position, but Baker struck out Grisham to end the game and the Yankee season. 

-- Twice before in best-of-five division series play, the Yankees had lost the first two games and rallied to win the series. The first time it happened was in 2001 against Oakland, the series in which Derek Jeter made the Flip Play, and the other was in 2017 against Cleveland. But it was not to be this time. 

-- With two outs in the sixth, a runner on first and the Yanks down by two, Volpe lofted a ball toward the stands in left field that kept carrying. Fans reached for the ball as Victor Mesa Jr. leapt for it and the play was originally ruled a home run, which would have tied the score. But a lengthy crew chief review determined that there was spectator interference – fans’ hands clearly grabbed for the ball in the field of play. It was reminiscent of ‘96 and the Jeffrey Maier incident, though that one worked out better for the Yanks. Volpe was placed at second and umps ruled that George Lombard Jr. would have scored from first base. Rays manager Kevin Cash came out to argue, but the Rays' lead was trimmed to 4-3. 

-- The Rays snapped a 2-2 tie in the top of the sixth inning by scoring with two outs and knocking out Yankee starter Max Fried. First, Junior Caminero hit a single up the middle. Then Mesa, a lefty hitter who enjoyed so much success against lefties this year in a limited sample (.333 in 60 at-bats) that he was moved up to cleanup against Fried, smacked a 401-foot home run to right-center. The blast gave Tampa Bay a 4-2 lead. 

-- Fried threw 5.2 innings and allowed four runs and seven hits while striking out seven and walking none. He was fine, but never seemed to be able to stop the Rays and gave up home runs to Ryan Vilade and Mesa. In 26 postseason games (16 starts) in his career, Fried has a 5.11 ERA. 

-- The Rays broke through against Fried in the third for a 1-0 lead and it could’ve been worse if they had not gambled on the bases. With two outs and runners on first and second, Jonathan Aranda smacked a single to right field. Jonny DeLuca scored and Aranda got hung up between first and second when Jones’ throw home was cut off. Taylor Walls, who had raced to third on the hit, broke for home and was erased in a rundown, 9-3-6-2. The Rays, clearly trying to force the Yankees to make a play, might have built a bigger inning if they had been more cautious. Before Aranda’s hit, the Rays had been 1-for-19 with runners in scoring position in the series. 

-- The Yanks tied the score at 1 in the bottom half of the third thanks to – who else? – Ben Rice. Entering the night, Rice’s pair of solo home runs in Game 2 were the only runs the Yanks had mustered in the series. In the third, he hit a two-out, RBI single to score Jones, who had walked. At that point, Rice had driven in nine of the Yankees’ 21 runs this postseason. 

-- A half-inning after he leapt at the wall and just missed Vilade’s Yankee Stadium homer in right field, Jones re-tied the score at 2 with an RBI double. First, the homer – Vilade swatted an outside pitch from Fried 340 feet to right and Jones, who is 6-foot-7, leapt to try to snare it but the ball was out of his reach. It was Vilade’s first career postseason longball in his first career postseason game and it gave the Rays a 2-1 lead. It was also a drive that would have been a home run in only one park – the one the game was played in. Then with two outs in the bottom of the frame, Volpe smacked a 97 mph liner off Rays starter Nick Martinez for a hit. Tampa Bay went to its bullpen for lefty Ian Seymour to face Jones, who is comfortable against same-side pitchers – he batted .389 against lefties during the regular season. Jones hit a liner to the opposite field, past Mesa. Volpe sprinted from first to score and Jones took third on the throw home and was credited with a two-bagger.

-- The Yankees turned a pretty rare 6-5-3 double play in the first inning, thanks to third baseman Caballero being shifted toward the second base bag against Aranda, a lefty. Aranda hit a hard grounder to shortstop Lombard and Lombard flipped to Caballero, presumably because Caballero was so close to the bag and moving in the direction of first base. Volpe, playing second, was there, too. Caballero touched second and threw to first for the twin kill. Nifty collab.

-- After the Yanks used Chisholm as a pinch-hitter for Caballero, he remained in the game to play second base and Volpe moved from second to third. Entering the game, Volpe had exactly one appearance in the major leagues at third. He fielded his first chance cleanly Wednesday. 

-- Boone took a shot with Giancarlo Stanton as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning with a runner on first and two out. The Rays brought in righty reliever Kevin Kelly to face Stanton, who was 0-for-1 in the series entering the game. Kelly struck him out on a 2-2 changeup clocked at 85 mph, ending the frame.

Highlights

It's a 6-5-3 double play for the Yankees! Lombard Jr. ➡️ Caballero ➡️ Garcia Jr. https://t.co/eNCkOJu1fZ

— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) October 8, 2026

Max Fried fans Junior Caminero and faces the minimum in the first https://t.co/RZKoHpu8FN

— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) October 8, 2026

BEN RICE AGAIN! Tie game in the third! https://t.co/exeyjckPfE

— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) October 8, 2026

George Lombard Jr. with the barehand! https://t.co/dipLQAYq8F

— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) October 8, 2026

WE'RE TIED AGAIN! Spencer Jones brings home Anthony Volpe! https://t.co/66bDHbaWgX

— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) October 8, 2026

Anthony Volpe makes it 4-3 with an RBI double. The play was initially ruled a two-run home run, but was overturned upon review due to fan interference. https://t.co/qGMiKDUrRY

— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) October 8, 2026

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The Yankees will have an entire offseason to try and build another postseason contender as they look for their first World Series win since 2009.

He’s out of there! 

The Yankee fan who brought back flashbacks of the 1996 incident involving Jeffrey Maier was escorted out of Yankee Stadium after he stuck his arms out over the ledge of the wall in left field to catch a ball hit by Anthony Volpe in the bottom of the sixth in ALDS Game 3.

It led to a lengthy review and overturned what would have been a game-tying home run due to spectator interference in what became a season-ending 4-3 loss for the Yankees on Wednesday night.

Video showed the Yankee fan, who was wearing a dark blue bomber jacket, being walked out of the outfield stands by a uniformed member of the NYPD and what appeared to be several members of Yankee Stadium security. 

He was also leaving with another fan, who was wearing a pinstriped Yankees jacket and cap. 

In another clip that circulated online after the controversial moment, security staff was seen approaching the fan in his seat almost immediately after the replay ruled on the fan interference call, which led to Volpe being awarded an RBI double, meaning only one run scored.

Yankee fans around them did not appear to have too much of a reaction toward the spectator as he exited with stadium staff. 

The Rays got out of the inning with a 4-3 lead, the same score as the final. 

The incident had a very close similarity to the infamous Maier incident in the 1996 ALCS between the Yankees and Orioles, when the then-young fan helped get a Derek Jeter home run over the wall in right field of the old stadium. 

In a statement, Major League Baseball said it had “definitively determined the spectator interfered with the ball over the field of play” after looking at “all relevant angles.” 

“The ball would not have left the playing field nor would it have been caught. The call is OVERTURNED, there was spectator interference and no home run,” the league said in a statement. “Additionally, the Replay Official scored one run and placed the batter-runner at second.” 

Before the Los Angeles Dodgers were ready to pop the bottles of champagne, they had to remind the San Diego Padres they kept the receipts.

As manager Dave Roberts was addressing the team following a 4-1 victory against the Atlanta Braves to advance to the NLCS, he was telling them there is no “more talented team than the Los Angeles Dodgers” and reminded them that they are “smarter, we’re better, and we’re tougher.”

As he was finishing up, a member of the Dodgers organization was heard adding to Roberts’ speech by saying, “And we’re dinosaurs.”

While the member of the organization acknowledged they are a “dinosaur,” it might’ve gone completely over Roberts’ head as he continued to speak to his team.

The term “dinosaurs” was the latest jab added to the Dodgers and Padres rivalry when new San Diego owner, José E. Feliciano, made a statement that some took as a jab at the Dodgers by saying, “The owner of the Dodgers owns a lot of dinosaurs,” just before San Diego played Game 2 of the wild-card series against the Chicago Cubs.

While it’s unknown who confirmed the Dodgers are “dinosaurs,” the fans speculated that it might’ve been Miguel Rojas as @JustRay122 commented on X saying, “Was that Miggy Ro with the ‘we’re dinosaurs’ ”

The fans are also embracing being dinosaurs, as “kida_kudz wrote, “We’re smarter, we’re better, we’re tougher, and we’re dinosaurs.”

Other fans are hoping the Dodgers take the dinosaur jab as a new marketing opportunity, as @KennyJ1975 commented, “If the Padres face us, the @Dodgers need to market dinosaur skeletons as much as possible. Make them mean, not friendly.”

While the Dodgers are celebrating the victory, they’re waiting to find out who their NLCS opponent will be as the Brewers currently have a 2-1 series lead over the Padres.