The Yankees committed four errors in Game 2 of the ALDS, and the familiar problem of sloppy defense pushed their season to the brink. New York fell behind 0-2 in the best-of-five series after giving up five runs, including a catcher’s mitt that became the fourth mistake.
The sequence began with Yandy Díaz hitting a ground ball directly into Ryan McMahon’s glove at third base. McMahon let the ball go by him, and the Rays had a runner on base with no outs. The next batter, Jonathan Aranda, hit a ground ball that McMahon dove for, and the Yankees escaped the inning with a single run scoring.
But the damage was done. The Rays scored four runs in the first inning, and only two of them were earned, meaning three were unearned runs. The Yankees also committed catcher interference in the inning, which added another error to the total.
How the First Inning Unfolded
The first error came on Ryan McMahon. Díaz hit a ground ball that McMahon let get past him, and the Rays had runners on first and second with no outs. The inning was already in trouble.
The second error came on Jazz Chisholm Jr. Rays slugger Junior Caminero hit a ground ball to shortstop, and George Lombard Jr. had to range too far to his left to field it. Chisholm forced the throw anyway, and it sailed wide of first base. Díaz scored, and Caminero advanced to second with one out.
The third error came on Austin Wells. Schlittler struck out Liam Hicks in an 0-2 count, but Hicks took a half-swing that hit Wells’s mitt. Replay confirmed the catcher interference, which is another error, and puts Hicks at first base. From a strikeout to a baserunner.
The fourth error was a fielder’s choice. Chandler Simpson hit a ground ball to Chisholm at second base, but Chisholm’s feed pulled Lombard off the bag at second. Lombard got back to the bag for one out, but the poor throw eliminated any chance to turn the inning-ending double play. The play was not an error, but it was a bad play.
What Schlittler Said Afterward
“I’m not disappointed in our defense,” Schlittler said after Game 2. “Really just disappointed in myself. That’s baseball and those things are gonna happen, but I’ve got to be able to work through those. I wasn’t able to do that today.”
Schlittler threw only 19 pitches in the first inning. It is a minor miracle the Yankees escaped that first inning down just one run, given how many chances the Rays had.
The Infield Problem
The question coming into this ALDS matchup was whether New York’s infield would be up to the task. The Rays led baseball in bunt hits and were second in infield singles during the regular season. They are going to make you play clean baseball, and the Yankees just don’t do that.
The pattern is familiar. The Rays put pressure on the defense, and the Yankees are not known for pristine glovework. Both traits were on full display in Game 2.
The Numbers Behind the Sloppy Play
Katie Sharp tweeted that this is the first time the Yankees have committed 3 errors in a single inning in a postseason game.
| Event | Result |
|---|---|
| 1st batter: Díaz ground ball | McMahon error, runner on first |
| 2nd batter: Aranda ground ball | Single, runners on first and second |
| 3rd batter: Caminero ground ball | Chisholm error |
| 4th batter: Hicks swing | Wells interference, Hicks at first |
| 5th batter: Simpson ground ball | Fielder’s choice, one out |
The inning could have been much bigger for the Rays. The Yankees got lucky that the damage was limited to five runs.
The Players Involved
Ryan McMahon’s error came on a chest-high hop that he let get by him. It was the most egregious misplay from a degree of difficulty perspective.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. committed the second error of the inning. When asked if he should have held onto the ball, he said he would probably still throw it.
“I’d probably still throw it, honestly,” Chisholm said. “The play that was trying to be made. I feel like I could’ve made an even better throw.”
Austin Wells committed the third error on the catcher interference. The catcher’s mitt became the fourth error when Hicks’s swing hit Wells’s mitt.
The pattern is not new. The Rays are going to make you play clean baseball, and the Yankees just don’t do that.
The Rays are the AL-best team, and they are playing the way they are built to play. The Yankees have to find a way to play clean baseball, or their season will be pushed to the brink.
Which Mistakes Were the Worst
Here is the order of how bad each mistake looked, from worst to least egregious:
- Ryan McMahon’s error on a chest-high hop that he let get by him.
- Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s error on Caminero’s ground ball, which sailed wide of first base.
- Austin Wells’s catcher interference error, which turned a strikeout into a baserunner.
- The fielder’s choice on Simpson’s ground ball, which pulled Lombard off the bag and ruined the chance for a double play.
The Yankees committed four errors in Game 2 of the ALDS, and the familiar problem of sloppy defense pushed their season to the brink. The Rays took advantage of every mistake, and the Yankees could not escape the first inning without giving up five runs.
The pattern is not new. The Rays are going to make you play clean baseball, and the Yankees just don’t do that. The question is whether the Yankees can fix it in time.
Source material: “Yankees commit four errors in ALDS Game 2 as familiar problem pushes their season to the brink vs. Rays,” CBS Sports.
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