Yankees’ Defensive Woes in Game 2 Against Rays

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Yankees manager Aaron Boone decided to keep the lineup from Game 1 unchanged for Game 2, notably maintaining Ryan McMahon at third base. He mentioned wanting to “prioritize the defense” just a couple of hours before the game began.

However, things went south quickly after just two pitches thrown by Cam Schlittler.

McMahon committed the first error, which started a chain reaction, leading to an unfortunate 5-2 loss to the Rays. The Yankees were charged with four errors, although it could be argued that the count could’ve been higher.

“Not great. Not how you draw it up,” McMahon reflected on the chaotic first inning marked by his misplay, an ill-advised throw from Jazz Chisholm Jr. that flew past Luis García Jr., and catcher Austin Wells being called for interference, resulting in the first unearned run.

The trouble began with the second pitch to Rays leadoff hitter Yandy Díaz, who hit a grounder toward McMahon. Typically reliable, McMahon seemed to misjudge the Tropicana Field turf or perhaps the quickness of the infield, resulting in him missing the ball during his backhand attempt.

“Just kicked up on me a little bit,” McMahon said, watching the ball roll past him, raising his hands in confusion over what just occurred.

While McMahon didn’t make any additional fielding errors, he didn’t contribute much offensively either. He popped out in the third inning, drew a walk in the fifth that didn’t advance any runners, and was replaced by pinch hitter Paul Goldschmidt in the eighth.

Throughout four postseason games, McMahon has managed only one hit out of seven at-bats—a single—along with two walks, despite entering the game with a career statistic of 1-for-14 with three walks against Tampa Bay’s Freddy Peralta.

When asked about his choice to stick with McMahon, Boone mentioned he had pondered starting Anthony Volpe at third base but hesitated, not wanting to put him in a challenging playoff situation on the unpredictable turf. Boone also stated that José Caballero was “very much in play” and indicated his value off the bench.

Caballero, who has only appeared in one prior postseason game, took on his role with professionalism.

“Everyone wants to be in there, but that’s why we have a manager making decisions,” Caballero shared before his defensive substitution. “I’m just waiting for my time, staying active, and preparing for when I get the call to help the team.”

The Rays are set to start right-hander Nick Martinez in Game 3, which would usually give McMahon an opportunity to play. Boone faces yet another decision in the lineup.

“Frustration. Maybe a little bit of anger in there,” McMahon commented on the team’s mood. “But … the series isn’t over yet.”