Yankees Survive ALDS Elimination Scare with Aaron Judge’s Historic Blast | Deadspin.com

Yankees Survive ALDS Elimination Scare with Aaron Judge’s Historic Blast | Deadspin.comDavid Brown|published: Wed 8th October, 08:45 2025

Yankees Survive ALDS Elimination Scare with Aaron Judge’s Historic Blast | Deadspin.comSep 12, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) reacts after hitting a home run during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

Aaron Judge connected for a mammoth home run that nobody should have been able to hit, and the New York Yankees completed a comeback against the Toronto Blue Jays that nobody else managed to do all season.

Even though the Yankees still trail in the American League Division Series, their season isn’t over yet. They might even have the Blue Jays right where they want ’em.

Judge’s score-tying three-run blast, along with Jazz Chisholm’s go-ahead solo shot, helped the Yankees overcome a five-run deficit in a 9-6 victory in Game 3 at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night.

Judge added an RBI double and an intentional walk to finish 3-for-4. He is 11-for-22 in the postseason.

 

The Blue Jays came in 39-0, including the postseason, when leading a game by at least five runs. Only the Milwaukee Brewers (46-0) and Los Angeles Dodgers (42-0) have performed better with leads that large. The Yankees came in 2-28 when getting down by at least five runs, but they paid little mind to facts like that with their season hanging by a thread.

Game 4 in the best-of-five series is scheduled for Wednesday night in the Bronx, with rookie right-hander Cam Schlittler set to take the mound for the Yanks. Schlittler struck out 12, tossing eight scoreless innings against the Boston Red Sox, to close out the Wild Card series this past week.

The Blue Jays, who won the AL East in a tiebreaker with New York but have endured multiple starting pitcher injuries and breakdowns late in the regular season, are said to be planning a bullpen game.

They could end up regretting not putting away the Yankees when they had the chance.

The Blue Jays, who came in having blown out the Yankees twice at Rogers Centre over the weekend, put themselves in position for a three-game sweep by jumping ahead 6-1 in the third inning against left-hander Carlos Rodón. Their own star slugger, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., hit a long two-run homer in the first (his third homer of the series), and made a demonstrative head-first slide into home plate in the third on Ernie Clement’s RBI single.

Judge, who came in without a postseason homer, took out a big eraser on Guerrero’s exclamation point in the bottom of the fourth.

His team trailing 6-3 with two runners aboard against right-hander Louie Varland, Judge swung and missed for strike two at a 100-mph fastball thrown down the middle. The next pitch, a 99.7 mph heater, came several inches inside (an estimated 1.2 feet from the center of the zone, per MLB), and just above the belt on the 6-foot-7 slugger. Judge somehow swatted it 103.1 mph, sending the ball an estimated 373 feet and high off the pole in left. It also sent Yankee Stadium into bedlam.

MLB researcher Andrew Simon said Judge’s homer was the first in the pitch-tracking era (since 2008) that came on a pitch thrown at least that hard and that far inside. It was his 17th career home run in the playoffs in 288 plate appearances.

Toronto might have taken the lead back in the fifth, but Judge laid out for a diving catch in right against Anthony Santander with Clement leading from second.

An inning later, Chisholm also connected against Varland on a bat-dropping, tie-breaking homer to give the Yankees a lead they did not relinquish. New York’s bullpen, a five-person collective closed by right-hander David Bednar, finished with 6 2/3 scoreless innings.

The Blue Jays had an 89% chance of advancing to the AL Championship Series after they took a 2-0 lead in the ALDS. They still can do it by winning one of the next two games, including a potential Game 5 back at home, if necessary, with better-rested options at starting pitcher. Right-hander Kevin Gausman would be going on three days of rest in Game 4 — and the Jays might use him anyway. In a potential Game 5 on Friday, rookie right-hander Trey Yesavage would have four days of rest to follow up his domination of the Yankees on Sunday.

But the Jays have more worries than an imperfect starting pitching plan. In addition to crumbling on the mound in Game 3, they made multiple miscues on defense, and failed to generate almost any opportunities at the plate after the first three innings. Toronto gave away Game 3 about as much as New York took it.

The Jays could be one game from flipping everything back their way, but right now they look a lot more like they’re in retreat. You might run away from Aaron Judge too.

Related Posts

HOW DODGERS COULD CRAFT A BLOCKBUSTER TRADE FOR FREDDY PERALTA. Insider strategies suggest Los Angeles is evaluating every asset to assemble an offer that could land the elite Brewers pitcher, reshaping rotation dynamics and sending shockwaves through the NL..ll 👇👇👇

Dodgers Eye Freddy Peralta to Bolster Rotation Amid Brewers’ Trade Market The Los Angeles Dodgers have long been one of the most aggressive teams when it comes…

REPORT: Orioles Gain an Unexpected Edge After the Mets Reveal Their New Pitching Plan — Baltimore Looks Poised to Capitalize on the Shakeup, Turning Opponent Adjustments into a Huge Opportunity

Baltimore Orioles’ Offseason Nears Perfection as Pitching Race Narrows The Baltimore Orioles appear to be just one key move away from completing an offseason that, so far,…

🚨 INFIELD CHAOS BREWING: The Chicago Cubs thought the Alex Bregman signing would bring clarity — instead, it unlocked a maze of tough choices nobody is talking about openly. One position is crowded, another suddenly fragile, and a third may force an uncomfortable sacrifice. Insiders hint the solution isn’t internal… and it isn’t painless. This puzzle could reshape the Cubs faster than fans expect 👇

The Chicago Cubs sent shockwaves through the baseball world on Saturday night when they finalized one of the most aggressive free agent signings in franchise history, agreeing…

DODGERS SET TO EXTEND NL REIGN WITH $186M TWO-TIME ALL-STAR SIGNING. The move is a direct response to the Cubs’ Alex Bregman deal, signaling Los Angeles’ intent to dominate the league and keep their championship window wide open..ll 👇👇👇

Dodgers Eye Bo Bichette to Cement NL Dominance Amid Cubs’ Super Team Moves The Los Angeles Dodgers are on a clear trajectory toward building a modern dynasty,…

FRONT OFFICE BOMBSHELL: YANKEES PIVOT AFTER CODy BELLINGER TALKS COLLAPSE. Behind closed doors, New York now eyes two MLB superstars in a move that could upend the league, signaling a shocking shift from their original strategy..ll 👇👇👇

The New York Yankees are increasingly preparing for a future without Cody Bellinger, as reports indicate the franchise has identified two high profile alternatives amid a growing…

🚨 DONE DEAL CONFIRMED: A $170 mіllіon decіѕіon hаѕ juѕt reѕhарed the future of the Boѕton Red Sox. Preѕіdent of Bаѕebаll Oрѕ Crаіg Breѕlow offіcіаlly аnnounced the ѕtunnіng reunіon wіth three-tіme All-Stаr Alex Bregmаn. Sіx yeаrѕ. Mаѕѕіve exрectаtіonѕ. And а cleаr meѕѕаge thаt Boѕton іѕ done wаіtіng. Thіѕ move chаngeѕ everythіng. 👇👇👇

DONe DeаL $170 MіLLіON! Crаіg Breѕlow аnnounceѕ Thаt the Red ѕox Hаve Reunіted Wіth Three-Tіme аll-ѕtаr ѕtаr аlex Bregmаn on а ѕіx-Yeаr Contrаct іn а ѕtunnіng move…