Category: MLB

Rio Ferdinand has tipped his former England teammate Steven Gerrard to return to Rangers for a second spell as manager.

Gerrard left Ibrox for Aston Villa in 2021 after delivering the Scottish Premiership title in 2020-21.

The former Liverpool captain spent 11 months with Villa before a spell at Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq.

Rangers are in the market for a new manager after Russell Martin was sacked on Sunday after just 123 days in charge.

Gerrard has been out of work since leaving Al-Ettifaq in January, and speaking on the 'Rio Ferdinand Presents' podcast, he revealed he had "a bit of unfinished business" in management.

The interview was conducted before Martin's dismissal, but Ferdinand believes Gerrard would be open to re-joining the Glasgow club, four years on from his departure.

"I have to say when I interviewed him, he left me in no uncertain terms that he wants to be a manager and he's got full confidence in doing that," Ferdinand told talkSPORT.

"He's itching to get back in now. He never said this to me, but I personally think just the energy that I felt in that room, that if Rangers came calling he'd go or at least have that conversation.

"What I felt, if I was an owner of a football club and Steven Gerrard was sat in front of me and I felt that energy in the room when I was interviewing him, he's getting the job.

"Forget what's gone on before, but also his time before at Rangers, he did great there. I've never had so many Rangers fans flood the comments of my social media or the podcast.

"They're all desperate for him to go up and at least have the conversation, so I wouldn't be surprised if Steven Gerrard is managing again very soon and Rangers would be probably one of my big bets."

Jeff McNeilhas been a constant for the Mets since bursting onto the scene as a 26-year-old rookie in 2018 and hitting .329 with an .852 OPS -- giving New York a cog who has been a lineup mainstay ever since.

Since 2019, McNeil has played at least 120 games in every full season (he appeared in 52 of 60 during the COVID-shortened campaign in 2020).

Along the way, he's won a batting title and made two All-Star teams.

McNeil, who signed a four-year, $50 million extension before the 2023 season, has also been versatile.

A natural second baseman, he has gotten a solid amount of time at both corner outfield spots and third base. This past season, McNeil even played 34 games in center field -- including 28 starts. And he performed admirably in center. 

There have been ebbs and flow for McNeil along the way, which included down campaigns in 2023 and 2024.

But as he prepares to enter his age-34 season in what is the final guaranteed year of his contract (the Mets hold a club option for 2027), McNeil is coming off a campaign where he was an above average offensive performer while continuing to provide the aforementioned versatility. 

Should McNeil be in the Mets' plans for 2026, or is it time for them to move on?

WHY IT COULD MAKE SENSE TO TRADE MCNEIL

While McNeil's 2025 season was above average when compared to the rest of the league -- he slashed .243/.355/.411 with an OPS+ of 111 -- it's now been three full seasons since he was a high-average, high-on-base percentage player.

Over his first five seasons in the majors, McNeil slashed .307/.370/.458.

Over his last three seasons, McNeil has hit .253/.326/.389.

Meanwhile, McNeil has never really hit for power -- excluding 2019, when he smacked a career-high 23 homers. He also doesn't walk a lot, though he did draw a career-high 49 walks this past season.

Beyond McNeil's recent shortcomings at the plate is the fact that the Mets have a glut of infielders on the 40-man roster and more coming. Additionally, they're set at both corner outfield positions (Juan Sotoin right, Brandon Nimmo in left) and will almost certainly go defense-first in center field to start the 2026 season. 

When it comes to the infield situation, second base and third base are technically open, but Brett Baty is coming off a season where he started to produce at the plate -- posting a .748 OPS while smacking 18 homers in 130 games. Baty was a solid defender, too, and showed that he can handle second base in addition to the hot corner. 

There's also the presence of Ronny Mauricio. The 24-year-old still has way too much chase at the plate, but he has tantalizing power and the ability to be Francisco Lindor's backup at shortstop along with being an option at second and third. 

Then there's Jett Williams, who had an .828 OPS in 130 games last season across Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse. The 21-year-old is the Mets' top prospect and is expected to debut this coming season -- possibly at some point in the first half. And it's likely that his position once in the bigs will be second base or center field. 

WHY IT COULD MAKE SENSE TO KEEP MCNEIL

Even though the Mets have numerous options for second base and third base, they're all unproven.

And while it's also possible to envision a scenario where the Mets find a third baseman externally if Pete Alonsoleaves via free agency (which would create a domino effect that gives them four possible second base options), that hasn't happened yet.

There's also the fact that none of the other options on the Mets' 40-man roster offer the kind of versatility that McNeil does.

Baty has played a grand total of 1.0 inning in the outfield during his big league career, and that came in 2023.

Mauricio played 26 games in left field in the minors in 2023, but hasn't left the infield dirt since suffering the knee injury that cost him the entire 2024 season. 

Even in a world where McNeil isn't being viewed as someone who will start the majority of the time, it's easy to make an argument that he would be valuable in a super utility role where he gets time at four or five different spots in the field.

The main question for the Mets in that scenario would be whether they think it makes sense to have a $15.75 million bench player who -- while able to play all over the field -- isn't a true plus defender at any position and doesn't hit for power. 

VERDICT

The day after the season ended, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns stressed the need to improve the team's defense.

Stearns also did not reject that idea that the offensive core of the team could be shaken up.

And if Alonsore-signs, the easiest way to shake up the core while improving the defense could be to move on from McNeil (and Starling Marte, a free agent who is no longer able to play the outfield much).

In the case of McNeil, it's possible the Mets would have to eat a bit of his salary in order to help facilitate a deal.

But he could be an intriguing option for infield-needy teams in need of a versatile player who won't require a commitment beyond 2026.

Thomson trusts Nola with start, Suárez to follow in must-win Game 3 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies are taking an unconventional approach to an elimination game.

Rob Thomson will hand the ball to Aaron Nola. The 11-year veteran had a forgettable 2025 regular season, posting a 6.01 ERA in 17 starts.

This will be just the third time in major-league history that a team has turned to a starter with a 6-plus ERA (minimum 50 regular-season innings) in a postseason elimination game.

The Phillies’ skipper will lean on the trust factor.

“He’s more comfortable starting,” Thomson said Tuesday. “Nola’s pitched some really big games for us over the last couple of years.”

It’s a gutsy move. Many believe it should be Ranger Suárez for Game 3. The southpaw has made eight starts and two relief outings in the postseason and has been stellar — a 1.43 ERA in 37 ⅔ innings with 40 strikeouts.

“I trust them both, don’t get me wrong,” Thomson said.

After starting lefties Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo in Games 1 and 2, the Phils will likely force Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to construct a different lineup against the right-hander Nola.

Contrary to popular belief, the numbers do justify Nola getting the start over Suárez.

Against all the hitters on L.A.’s NLDS roster, Nola has been the far more effective pitcher in his career. Dodgers batters are slashing just .220/.267/.378 in 246 at-bats. That line jumps to .326/.375/.535 against Suárez.

Even with the favorable lefty-vs.-righty matchups (including switch-hitter Tommy Edman), lefties are just 24-for-127 (.189) against Nola. In the less favorable lefty-lefty matchups against Suárez (excluding Edman), they’re hitting .308 (8-for-28).

And Nola did, in fact, finish his injury-riddled season on a high note. In his final start, he fired a season-high eight innings, allowing just two hits and one earned run while striking out nine — an encouraging sign ahead of his biggest outing of the year.

“His last start was phenomenal,” Thomson said. “That’s the Nola we’ve seen before, and I’m banking on that’s what we’re going to get.”

Tonight, it’s not necessarily one or the other, because Thomson has already committed to bringing Suárez in out of the bullpen.

“You’re going to see Ranger,” Thomson said. “I’d be shocked if you don’t. I’d regret having either one of those guys not pitching in this series.”

And Suárez is no stranger to pitching in that role. He’s made 70 appearances in his career (regular season and postseason), pitching to a 2.87 ERA. His last outing in the bullpen, though? The 2022 World Series.

This move could also help the Phillies bridge the gap and avoid their struggling middle relief. From innings six through eight in the regular season, Phillies relievers posted a 4.50 ERA — the fourth-highest mark in the National League. Suárez seems to be a much safer option.

When the Phillies looked to have extreme rotation depth earlier this season, moving Suárez to the bullpen was already a conversation.

Back in June, the lefty emphasized that he was “open to do whatever it takes to help this team win.”

Now, the Phillies are desperate for a victory. A 96-win ballclub with the second-highest payroll in the National League getting swept in the opening round of the playoffs would be a tough pill to swallow — especially with their longest-tenured player making the start.

If you want to watch every Dodgers game in 2026, you’ll likely need access to all of these outlets: SportsNet LA, Fox, ESPN, NBC, Peacock and Apple TV.

That is not, shall we say, fan-friendly.

Baseball’s holy grail is this: One place to watch your team, and every team, wherever you are. One price. No blackouts. No need to decide whether to pay up for a subscription to an outlet you may never watch after the game ends.

Rob Manfred, baseball’s commissioner, does not need to persuade fans about this. He does need to persuade the owners of all 30 teams about this.

Since Manfred would like to have this “All the Teams, All The Time” outlet up and running in 2029, he needs to start lining up votes among the owners. Manfred has talked about this goal for years, and I asked him if he can say this is really going to happen.

“I think that there is a lot of acceptance within the industry that, given what’s happened within the media environment, we need to be more national,” Manfred told me before the Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies met Monday at Citizens Bank Park.

“The idea of centralizing, and getting more games available on national platforms, is really appealing to people. Now, we’ve got some cards to play, still. But I remain optimistic that it can happen.”

So does Stan Kasten, the president of the Dodgers.

Read more:Shaikin: Inside the Mookie Betts play call that won NLDS Game 2 for the Dodgers

“We are supportive of the notion of all fans anywhere being able to watch any game, and doing away with blackouts,” Kasten said. “That takes a lot of steps, and every team has a different situation.

“We have a long way to go, but the goal is an admirable one, one I think all fans will benefit from, and that is what is most important.”

This all sounds lovely so far. But the Dodgers are not about to unconditionally surrender what fans outside Los Angeles consider their greatest competitive advantage: money, and lots of it.

The Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers are on course to meet in the National League Championship Series. The Brewers make about $35 million in local television revenue this year, according to Sports Business Journal.

The Dodgers make about 10 times that much in rights fees this year from Charter Communications, the parent company of Spectrum — and that annual rights fee will top $500 million by the end of the Charter contract in 2038. And there’s more: the Dodgers also own SportsNet LA.

If the 30 teams pooled their broadcast rights, Manfred believes they could generate interest not only from traditional outlets but from streamers such as Apple, Peacock, Paramount and Netflix. League officials believe the exclusivity of one package would generate more collective revenue than the combination of 30 individual team deals.

In theory, then, the Brewers would get significantly more than $35 million per year if the teams split the pot evenly. The Dodgers would get less, and probably much less. So would Manfred just lean on the Dodgers to go along for the good of the game?

Read more:Hernández: The Phillies are done, and the Dodgers' path to the World Series looks clear

“I don’t think you can make a change like this based on people saying this is for the good of the game,” Manfred said. “I think you make a change like this by people realizing who the buyers are, what they want to buy, and by packaging up a set of changes that make it kind of closer to an economic wash.”

Meaning cash-neutral for teams like the Dodgers — and the New York teams, Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs — still reeling in big bucks amid the collapse of regional sports networks outside large markets?

“Yeah, and there are a whole lot of ways to get there,” Manfred said.

He did not lay out his menu of options, but the first one is clear. Collective bargaining negotiations are scheduled to start next year, with the growing likelihood of a lockout after the 2026 season.

If owners can push through a salary cap — a cap that the players’ union insists will remain — then small-market owners could be guaranteed a certain percentage of league revenue. That cost certainty, coupled with the potential of increased revenue from a 30-team broadcast package, probably would win over small-market owners.

And that could be critical, because those owners currently make a fair amount of money from revenue sharing, under which teams are assessed a percentage of such money as ticket sales, concession sales and local media revenue. That money is pooled and shared equally for now, but Manfred could offer the Dodgers and other financial behemoths a chance to keep more of — or all of — that money for themselves.

The league also could offer to buy out SportsNet LA and other such channels, meaning more money for the Dodgers. And, although the Dodgers under current ownership do not appear interested in a salary cap, a cap would decrease player spending and thus increase team profits.

A wild card: With Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki and Hyeseong Kim on their roster, the Dodgers could ask for greater revenue from international broadcast rights, which are now shared equally among teams.

Those are a lot of balls for Manfred to juggle. Kasten adamantly declined to say what might work for the Dodgers.

“You’re delving into areas that are way too premature for me to discuss, other than for me to tell you we agree with the goal,” he said. “The goal is a good one, and we hope baseball can get there.”

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Zach LaVine hails Dodgers starter Blake Snell as most ‘electrifying' MLB pitcher originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Zach LaVine is gearing up for his first full season with the Kings, but he’s keeping a close eye on the 2025 MLB playoffs. And for good reason.

LaVine’s brother-in-law and good friend, Blake Snell, has been pitching lights out for the Los Angeles Dodgers as the team aims for back-to-back World Series wins, and Snell’s first of his 10-year MLB career.

Snell helped those chances with another dominant start in Game 2 of the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday, tossing six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts in the Dodgers’ 4-3 win. Snell didn’t allow a hit until the fifth inning with two outs — and he never allowed another.

“Shoutout my boy Blake, man,” LaVine told reporters in Sacramento after Kings practice Tuesday. “He’s probably the most electrifying pitcher in baseball. I’m really excited for him. I wish I was able to go to a couple games. Hopefully, we have an off day and [I can] slide down there. We’ll see. We’ll figure it out.

“But Blake Snell right now is my MVP of the playoffs.”

Cruise control for Blake. pic.twitter.com/Hg0bjEwx8l

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 6, 2025

Now through 13 innings pitched in his first two Dodgers playoff starts, Snell has a 1.38 ERA and 0.77 WHIP.

He now has four playoff outings with nine or more strikeouts and no more than two hits allowed, which is the most by any pitcher in MLB postseason history.

After one season with the Giants, Snell signed a five-year, $182 million free-agent contract with the Dodgers. And thus far, he’s proven to be worth every penny for Los Angeles.

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Aaron Judge still thinks that his first career home run, the one he hit way back on Aug. 13, 2016, off Matt Andriese of the Tampa Bay Rays, is the biggest one of his life. You finally make “The Show,” he explained, and you really have no idea if you’re good enough to stick around. If you aren’t, you can at least say that you hit one in the big leagues.

Fair enough. But Judge hit one Tuesday night that maybe should rate even higher than the first one and higher than No. 62 back in his record-setting 2022. With the Yankees staring at elimination and a five-run deficit against the Blue Jays, who battered them in the first two games of the AL Division Series, Judge smashed a tying three-run homer in a fashion no one else seemingly has – more on that later – to propel a comeback that might’ve tilted this best-of-five series.

Couple that with the constant background cacophony about Judge’s October resume and his towering shot off Louis Varland that clanged high off the left-field foul pole was not just a game-changer, but a narrative-changer, too.

Aaron Boone called the Yankees’ 9-6 victory over the Blue Jays in Game 3 “an awesome team win,” and the manager was right – in addition to Judge, the bullpen was huge, Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a go-ahead home run and Giancarlo Stanton knocked in a pair. But, years from now, we probably won’t remember all that.

So how about this meatier, more lasting moniker for this one? “The Aaron Judge Game.”

Judge finished 3-for-4 with four RBI and three runs. He was a triple short of the cycle, made a sparkling diving catch in right field with a runner on second and worried the Jays so much they intentionally walked him in the sixth (he later scored). He even stayed in a rundown between third and home long enough for Cody Bellinger to grab an extra base in the third inning, and Bellinger eventually scored on a sac fly.

“It was a ‘best-player-in-the-game performance,’” Boone said.

Even ardent Yankee fans have wondered about Judge under the high-wattage lights of postseason baseball. His numbers are lower than the plaque-worthy stats he puts up in the regular season. As recently as the aftermath of Game 1 of this series, when he whiffed with the bases loaded and nobody out, an at-bat that could’ve changed the game, he was answering questions about being “overanxious” at the plate. Every one of his swing decisions is dissected, his playoff rep often lamented.

Yankeeland was waiting for Judge to wreck an October. Well, he’s 11-for-22 in six games so far with that homer, two doubles and six RBI. He has a 1.304 OPS in these playoffs.

Now you have to wonder if he is going to take over this series. Will the Jays even pitch to him again? Should they?

To be fair, Toronto is still ahead in the series, two games to one. But they commanded Game 3, too, and the Yankees took it away. Now the Jays are planning a bullpen game against Cam Schilitter, the Yanks’ rookie who was the breakout star of the Wild Card series.

Who blinks if the teams go back to Toronto for a winner-take-all game, the team that surged into a tie or the one who owned the series but lost two straight? Yanks haven’t won in Toronto, but narratives can evolve.

Just ask Judge.

The home run itself was fascinating. It came on an 0-2 pitch, right after Varland had thrown a 100-mile-per-hour fastball past Judge. “He blew my doors off on the pitch before,” Judge acknowledged. Judge added: “He’s got all the leverage. He’s probably in attack mode. You’ve gotta attack that head on.”

Varland’s next pitch was 99.7 mph, way inside. Judge kept his hands in and pulled it down the left-field line. According to Andrew Simon, a researcher for MLB, no one in the pitch tracking era (since 2008) had ever hit a home run on a 99-plus pitch that went as far inside as this one did. It was also the fastest pitch Judge had ever homered against. Boone said he’d only seen powerful righty hitters such as Edgar Martinez and Manny Ramirez hit balls like that.

Asked why he liked the pitch, Judge perhaps alluded to the questions he faced earlier in the series.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I get yelled at for swinging out of the zone, now I’m getting praise…It looked good to me.”

Still, it was unclear whether Judge’s drive would stay fair. Boone noticed the flags in left had stopped flapping, a hopeful sign that no wind would push it too far left. The manager leaned in the dugout – using “body English” – to will the ball fair. Judge stood at the plate, watching, then tossed his bat after the ball hit the pole. Later, the slugger wondered if Yankee Stadium ghosts had any influence on where the ball ended up.

Whatever the case, Judge authored a significant October moment in the midst of a remarkable game. It helped save the Yankees’ season.

It should quiet the noise that Judge is never quite himself in the postseason, too.

AARON JUDGE TIES UP GAME 3!!!!! pic.twitter.com/5Y5VWgZ4pd

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) October 8, 2025

In a must-win game, when their starter didn't have it, the Yankees bullpen came up clutch. Maybe not Aaron Judge clutch, but they were close.

After Carlos Rodon gave his team just 2.1 innings, and put his team in a 6-1 hole, five relievers combined to get the final 20 outs on Tuesday night to help the Yankees stave off elimination in the team's eventual 9-6 win over the Blue Jays in Game 3 of the ALDS.

"They were awesome," manager Aaron Boone said of the bullpen after the win. 

Fernando Cruz was the first man out, getting the final two outs of the third inning before getting an out into the fourth. Camilo Doval continued his recent streak of effective outings by getting the next three outs. Tim Hill picked up the final out in the fifth inning, stranding a runner on second base, before pitching a 1-2-3 sixth inning. Devin Williams picked up four outs and David Bednar locked down the five-out save.

"Cruz coming in and kind of settling things, Camilo continuing to really throw the ball incredibly well," Boone said. "Tim Hill coming in and getting that final out and then going back out knowing he's got to face [George] Springer, but we then added to the lead a little bit. So the fact he was able to get two guys out there and then that kept him in play to face [Davis] Schneider. The add-on run that we had and him getting the first two outs of that inning was really big because then you could afford to -- Schneider puts a pretty good swing on it but then flies out to left. And that allowed us to shorten things with Devin and Bednar finishing the last three innings in a shared situation. Really good job by all the pen guys and doing it efficiently, too."

The bullpen's 6.2 shutout innings -- allowing just three hits and no walks while striking out nine batters -- helped the Yankees complete their largest comeback win in a postseason game since the 2010 ALCS against the Rangers, also a five-run deficit. It also marked only the third time in franchise history that Yankees relievers tossed at least 6.2 scoreless innings in a postseason game.

"Proud of my boys," Hill said of his bullpen mates. "We did what we’re supposed to do."

"You want those shutdown innings, especially after the offense gets some you momentum," Bednar said. "Just keep handing the ball over. We have a really good group down there, just keep trusting everyone."

"Incredible effort by everyone," Williams said. "Everyone stepped up and got as many outs as you could tonight. It was a great performance tonight and gotta go do it tomorrow."

Devin goes beyond

While all the Yankees relievers were spectacular, Williams' was notable as he went and pitched more than an inning for the first time all season. Williams said Boone didn't ask, just told him he was going to go back out there to get Ernie Clement. While he allowed a single, Clement's fourth hit of the game, Williams bounced back to strike out Anthony Santander before being lifted for Bednar.

"This is the time when you're going to need it every now and then," Boone explained of the decision to keep Williams to pitch a second inning. "He was efficient in his inning in the seventh there. So I knew for sure I wanted him to go out and face Clement. And then if he was efficient, Wellsy and I kind of talked about giving him Santander too. And the fact that Clement gets another hit, but he's able to make a couple of really good pitches to get the strikeout of Santander, which was big. That shortened it a little bit for Bednar." 

"I was expecting to go further than I did, but it’s all hands on deck right now," Williams said. 

Tuesday was Williams' sixth postseason appearance, and the first of at least four outs in his career. The trust Boone has in Williams right now is sky high, and for good reason. Entering Game 3, Williams had allowed just two baserunners (one hit, one walk) in two innings of work. If you want to include just the regular season, since allowing four runs in 0.2 innings back on Sept. 3, Williams has not allowed a run (12 IP).

"He’s a hard worker," Hill said of Williams. "Devin’s always putting in the work no matter what. I saw that from the beginning. Everyone goes through struggles in this game. His work never changed, he stayed the course and that’s why you’re seeing what you’re seeing at this point."

"[He's been] Lights out," Bednar added. "It’s been fun to watch playing in the [NL] Central getting to watch him from the other side and now getting a front seat. It’s been a lot of fun to watch. It’s been very impressive."

Despite the up-and-down first season in the Bronx, Williams says he's kept the same mindset but ist just getting the results he wants now. Once Boone took the ball from him in the eighth, the Yankee Stadium crowd gave the often-maligned reliever a standing ovation for his efforst. 

"It’s awesome, nice to feel appreciated sometimes. It was definitely a lot better than what I heard from most of the year," Williams said with a grin. 

The Yankees will hope to get the same performance from the bullpen in Wednesday's must-win Game 4. With Cam Schlittler on the mound, Boone may not need many relievers, but they are ready to try and send the series back to Toronto.

 

 

Carlos Rodón understood his assignment and the stakes. What he needed to give the Yankees in a must-win Game 3 of the ALDS against the Blue Jays was what two teammates couldn't deliver in Games 1 and 2 over the weekend -- quality length as a starting pitcher.

But fans' long-standing fears about Rodón's reliability in October were once again realized on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium, since he, too, didn't meet the job's demands. While the Yankees miraculously staved off elimination with a thrilling 9-6 comeback victory, Rodón was responsible for the necessity of a huge rally, as he gave up six runs and failed to complete three innings.

"All year since we've played them, the miss is just not really there," Rodón said after the win. "Just trying to force weak contact. They put some good swings. Obviously, I made some pitches that could've been way better. They force the issue. They make us play defense. Up and down the lineup, they have pretty good at-bats. The chase isn't really there, and they just put the ball in play."

The signs of trouble for Rodón appeared almost immediately. After allowing a one-out walk in the first inning, he left a soft changeup in the middle of the zone to the red-hot Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who clobbered it into the left field bullpen for a two-run blast. The superstar slugger became the first player in Blue Jays history to start the playoffs with a homer in each of the first three games.

Rodón worked around a leadoff infield single and a two-out hit-by-pitch in the second, but that inning turned out to be his easiest. The wheels fell off in the third, and his mess began with a leadoff double to Davis Schneider that was followed up by an intentional -- and sensible -- walk to Guerrero.

With one out, Rodón gave up a single to Dalton Varsho that brought Schneider home due to a botched Yankees relay. Then, sharp singles from Ernie Clement and Anthony Santander doubled the Blue Jays' run total to six and extended their lead to five. Rodón's eight-pitch bout with Santander was his last -- he was pulled with one out at 67 pitches (44 strikes). He struck out only two.

For a third straight game, the Yankees didn't see their starter record 10 outs. The combination of Luis Gil, Max Fried, and Rodón allowed 15 runs on 18 hits (four homers) for a ghastly ERA of 16.88. And by the time of Rodón's exit, Yankees pitchers had given up a whopping 29 runs, the most allowed in any three-game stretch within a single postseason in franchise history (h/t Katie Sharp).

Of course, the Yankees were lucky that dormant bats finally woke up in the Bronx to not only bail out Rodón, but also to force a do-or-die Game 4 on Wednesday night. The bullpen deserves ample praise, too, as five relievers kept the relentless Blue Jays in check by providing 6.2 scoreless innings.

"They were incredible," Rodón said of the bullpen. "They didn't give up a run. They covered 21 outs and were really impressive. They shut them down and won us the game there, too."

By the numbers, Rodón's efforts weren't the worst among the Yankees' three starters, but the timing of his clunker was disastrous. There was little reason -- maybe even no reason -- to believe the team was capable of summoning eight unanswered runs en route to stunning survival when the veteran left-hander walked off the mound.

Whether or not the Yankees overcome the series deficit to the Blue Jays and advance to the ALCS, the topic of Rodón's struggles under the bright postseason lights is sticking around. The 32-year-old southpaw has a 9.72 ERA across 8.1 innings (two starts) this month. 

Rodón seemed poised to put that narrative to bed, too. He produced the second 200-strikeout campaign of his career, while logging career-high marks in both innings (195.1) and starts (33). For extended stretches, he performed near ace level, living up to his high-priced salary.

Luckily for Rodón, the postgame conversations weren't centered on him this time. The massive weight of the season now rests on other shoulders.