New York Yankees

The Houston Astros will travel to New York's famed Yankee Stadium for a date with the Bronx Bombers in Game 3 of the ALCS Saturday.

The defending American League champions will look to take a 3-0 series lead and push the Yankees to the brink of elimination.

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ALCS Schedule

Game 3: Saturday, October 22 (5:07 p.m. ET, TBS)

Game 4: Sunday, October 23 (7:07 p.m. ET, TBS)

Game 5: Monday, October 24 (4:07 p.m. ET, TBS)*

Game 6: Tuesday, October 25 (6:07 p.m. ET, TBS)*

Game 7: Wednesday, October 26 (7:37 p.m. ET, TBS)*

*If necessary

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Prediction

To say that a win for the Astros would give them a commanding lead in the series would be an understatement.

Houston is playing like the best team in baseball; one hellbent on erasing the disappointment of last year's World Series shortcoming. They have excelled on both sides of the ball throughout the ALCS.

On the offensive side, the Astros are exponentially better than the opposition in batting average (.254 to .138), slugging percentage (.508 to .262) and on-base percentage (.343 to .200).

Pitching has been equally as one-sided, with the Astros amassing a 1.0 ERA versus the Yankees' mark of 3.94 entering the pivotal game. The latter did get a bit of good news, perhaps, as it was revealed that Houston's Cristian Javier will start Saturday's game after expected pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. "caught a spare champagne bottle to the elbow" and suffered a cut.

Aside from clearly being a reserve option, Javier also allowed the most home runs of his career (17) in 2022. Not exactly the stat you want hanging overhead before a date with Aaron Judge, Harrison Bader and a New York team that led the Majors in home runs in the regular season.

However, this is not the first time the Yankees have seen Javier, and he had no trouble sitting batters down in their previous encounter.

Last time Cristian Javier faced the Yankees in New York... pic.twitter.com/t9qJzNUpkj

— Michael Schwab (@michaelschwab13) October 21, 2022

No matter how dominant the Astros have been in this series, one has to figure New York will find a way to steal at least one game. Saturday night, at home against a pitcher they should be able to get after, feels like as good as any time to make that happen.

Prediction: Yankees win, series 2-1

If the history of best-of-seven series in Major League Baseball's postseason is any indication, there's now just a 16 percent chance of the New York Yankees returning to the World Series for the first time since 2009.

Time to panic? We'll get to that.

What's undeniably true right now is that the Yankees are reeling from back-to-back losses to the Houston Astros to begin the American League Championship Series. After Justin Verlander pitched Houston to a 4-2 victory in Game 1 on Wednesday, Alex Bregman played the hero by way of a three-run home run that paced a 3-2 win in Game 2 on Thursday:

Breggy bomb! #Postseason pic.twitter.com/YOz48Kfd3h

— MLB (@MLB) October 21, 2022

For its part, a Yankees offense that led the American League in scoring and home runs in the regular season simply couldn't get to Framber Valdez. The only two runs the left-hander gave up in seven innings were unearned, and he ended up with the third-most swings and misses ever recorded in a playoff game.

Once Ryan Pressly got Matt Carpenter on a check swing to strike out the side and end the game, the Astros had secured their fifth straight win to begin the postseason. Per MLB.com's Sarah Langs, that's tied for the sixth-longest streak in the league's wild-card era.

So, just how doomed are the Yankees?

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Why the Panic Meter Is High

Short answer? It's the offense, stupid.

Though they were ultimately victorious, the Yankees weren't racking up hits and runs on the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Division Series. They mustered 20 runs in five games, with a .182 average that ranks among the worst ever for a team that won a best-of-five series.

Two games into the ALCS, things have improbably gotten worse. The Yankees only have four runs, as well as just nine hits and—[double-checks notes]—holy smokes, that really does say 30 strikeouts.

The Yankees are now batting just .169 for the playoffs. That's bad. Bad as in second-worst all-time to the 2017 Chicago Cubs among clubs that played at least seven games in a postseason.

For the most part, it's been a perfect storm of good pitching and bad hitting. To the former, it's just plain hard for hitters to do damage when they're up against stuff like this:

Framber Valdez, K'ing the Side.

7th, 8th & 9th Ks pic.twitter.com/tGLv4eWAy1

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 21, 2022

To the latter, the Yankees are swinging at air too often. Their collective strikeout rate ranks as the highest all-time among teams with so many as five games played in a given postseason:

1. 2022 New York Yankees: 33.7 percent
2. 2019 Los Angeles Dodgers: 32.8 percent
3. 2017 Cleveland Guardians: 32.6 percent

Though Verlander and Valdez may indeed be out of the way for now, the Yankees still face tough challenges in Games 3 and 4.

Cristian Javier and Lance McCullers Jr. are lined up to take the ball to start things for Houston. Javier had a 13-strikeout game against New York back on June 25, while McCullers pitched to a 2.27 ERA in eight regular-season outings before hurling six shutout frames in Game 3 of the ALDS against the Seattle Mariners. Although it is worth mentioning that McCullers Jr. was bumped back from Game 3 to Game 4 due to getting hit on the elbow by a champagne bottle during the celebration after defeating the Mariners.

Factoring in just how much Houston's bullpen has lived up to its MLB-best 2.80 ERA so far in these playoffs—how about a 0.71 ERA?—it's hard to view the outlook of the Yankees offense as anything other than grim.

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Why the Panic Meter Is Low

Well, for starters, Game 2 is one that the Yankees could have won.

The 97 mph fastball that Bregman hit out wasn't even a bad pitch by Luis Severino, nor was the resulting long ball a crush job. Per Statcast, it left the bat at a modest 91.8 mph and had just a 4 percent chance of becoming a hit.

Compare that to this one that Aaron Judge, he of the American League record 62 home runs, just missed with a runner on in the eighth inning:

Kyle Tucker keeps it in the park! 😳 #Postseason pic.twitter.com/jUEITZarqN

— MLB (@MLB) October 21, 2022

That was 106.3 mph off the bat with a 91 percent chance of going for a hit. As manager Aaron Boone opined, it might have reached the seats if the roof hadn't been open at Minute Maid Park.

To quote Severino: "I threw a great pitch. He hit it at 91 mph. That's the only thing I'm gonna say and Judge hit it at 106 mph and it didn't go out. I don't know, they got lucky."

In addition to a feeling that they got screwed, the Yankees can also walk away from Houston feeling proud about the aspects of the game where they did play well.

Above all, with regard to their run prevention. Severino and Jameson Taillon both pitched well in their starting assignments, and a defense that led MLB in defensive runs saved this season was on point.

Certainly, never more so than on this double play in Game 2 (second highlight in the clip below):

Flashing that leather 🔥 pic.twitter.com/CHDexF1Ay0

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 21, 2022

The bullpen also had a good game on Thursday, as Jonathan Loáisiga and Wandy Peralta allowed just three hits and a walk in 2.2 innings of relief for Severino. All-Star closer Clay Holmes, meanwhile, has gotten a much-needed rest since he last appeared on Tuesday.

Further reasons for optimism on the pitching side include Gerrit Cole and Nestor Cortes, who are slated to start Games 3 and 4. McCullers and Javier are talented, sure, but they're up against two hurlers who had a combined 3.03 ERA in the regular season and have thus far pitched to a 2.34 ERA through four starts in the playoffs.

Last but not least, even Dorothy doesn't value home as much as the Yankees have in 2022. Whereas they went just 42-39 on the road, their 57-24 record at Yankee Stadium tied for the best home record in the league.

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Let's Put the Panic Meter at...

How about a nice, solid 7 out of 10?

Let's go back to how history just isn't on the Yankees' side. Of the 88 teams that have ever fallen into a 2-0 hole in a best-of-seven series, only 14 have ever come back to emerge victorious.

And while it's all well and good that the Yankees have played the Astros tough in this series, that it's nonetheless been in losing efforts qualifies as more of the same.

Mind you, not just to the extent that Houston also beat New York in the ALCS in 2017 and 2019. The Astros went 5-2 against the Yankees in the regular season this year, with both losses coming in games they led going into the late innings on June 23 and 26.

Between that and how things are looking so far in this latest grudge between these two rivals, it sure looks like one of them is simply better than the other.

Game 3 will be at Yankee Stadium on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 5:07 p.m. ET.

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Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.

It's not always the best team that advances in the MLB postseason. Oftentimes, it's simply about who gets hot at the right time and proves capable of riding that momentum for a few weeks in October.

Not in the 2022 ALCS.

The Houston Astros and New York Yankees were unquestionably the best teams in the American League during the regular season, and, compared to the 87-win Philadelphia Phillies and the 89-win San Diego Padres squaring off in the NLCS, this year's ALCS matchup is a veritable clash of the titans.

After rain postponed Game 5 on Monday night, the Yankees closed out their ALDS matchup against the Cleveland Guardians with a 5-1 victory on Tuesday afternoon. Now they face a quick turnaround for Game 1 of the ALCS on Wednesday night.

How good were the top two seeds on the AL side of the bracket?

The Astros won an AL-high 106 games during the regular season and held at least a share of the AL West lead from May 11 through the end of the year, cruising to their fifth division title in six years with a 16-game lead over the upstart Seattle Mariners.

Meanwhile, the Yankees looked like the team to beat when they went 56-21 over the first three months of the season. They hit some rough patches in July and August but came out the other side with a 20-11 record from Sept. 2 through the end of the year to finish 99-63 and comfortably out in front of the AL East field.

But which AL juggernaut has the edge in the ALCS?

A lot changes over the course of a 162-game season, so season-long stats are not always the best indication of how a team is currently playing, but it can at least serve as a tale of the tape of sorts to get the conversation started.

OPS: NYY (.751), HOU (.743)
HR: NYY (254), HOU (214)
R/G: NYY (5.0), HOU (4.6)

Team ERA: HOU (2.90), NYY (3.30)
SP ERA: HOU (2.95), NYY (3.51)
RP ERA: HOU (2.80), NYY (2.97)

At first glance, this might seem like an easy Yankees offense vs. Astros pitching storyline, but both teams ranked near the top of the league in all of those categories, so it's tough to call either end of things a weakness for these two teams.

What, then, is going to decide this series?

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Jameson Taillon and Luis Severino vs. A Rested Houston Rotation

With wins in Game 1 and Game 4 of the ALDS, Gerrit Cole has played the role of staff ace masterfully for the Yankees thus far, chewing through 13.1 innings in those two starts to help take pressure off the New York bullpen.

Behind him, 2022 breakout star Nestor Cortés more than held his own in Game 2 (5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER) and Game 5 (5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER), giving the Yankees everything they could hope for in his first taste of the postseason.

However, after Cole threw 110 pitches on Sunday and Cortés worked on three days rest on Tuesday, there's a good chance we won't see either pitcher until Game 3.

The Astros have Justin Verlander lined up to start Game 1 on normal rest after they swept the Seattle Mariners in the ALDS and can then turn to some combination of Framber Valdez and Lance McCullers Jr. for the next two games. The Yankees will be forced to turn to Jameson Taillon in Game 1 and likely Luis Severino in Game 2.

Taillon allowed three hits and two earned runs without recording an out pitching in relief in Game 2 of the ALDS, while Severino started Game 3 and allowed eight hits and three earned runs in 5.2 innings.

To be fair, Verlander and Valdez were shaky in their own ALDS outings, but it's still far easier to bank on their success after brilliant regular seasons from both of them than it is to hope the back of the Yankees staff can avoid a 2-0 hole.

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Aaron Judge vs. Houston Pitching

For a guy who hit .311/.425/.686 with 62 home runs on the year, Aaron Judge sure has had a rough go of it facing the Astros pitching staff in 2022.

The towering slugger hit just .148/.258/.370 with two home runs in 31 plate appearances against Houston on the year, and his importance to the Yankees' offense can't be understated.

To that point, the Yankees went 39-12 (.765) in games where Judge homered this season, compared to 57-49 (.538) when he failed to go deep.

After going 0-for-8 with seven strikeouts in the first two games of the ALDS, Judge finally left the yard in Game 3 and Game 5.

Been doing it all year. #ALLRISE pic.twitter.com/hxiEW3jjae

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 18, 2022

That has provided some optimism that the team's most important hitter is getting things locked in just in time for this crucial ALCS matchup, but there's a tough task ahead in the Houston pitching staff.

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A Lopsided Battle of the Bullpens

The Astros rotation receives plenty of attention, and deservedly so, but their biggest weapon might be the lights-out relief corps they've assembled behind those starters.

Houston relievers allowed just nine hits and one earned run in 20.1 innings during the ALDS, recording all three wins and nailing down the only save opportunity they saw.

The quintet of Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero, Héctor Neris, Ryan Pressly and Ryne Stanek did not allow an earned run in 11 combined innings. Beyond that terrific group of traditional relievers, the team also has starters Luis Garica and Cristian Javier available out of the bullpen, as well as flame-throwing top prospect Hunter Brown who has looked more than ready for the big stage.

That's an impressive array of weapons to slam the door if the starters do their job, but things are a bit more precarious in the other dugout.

The Yankees have not had a go-to closer for much of the season.

Groundball machine Clay Holmes had a breakout season, but he was slowed by a shoulder injury down the stretch. Furthermore, manager Aaron Boone has not used him in back-to-back days since Sept. 13 and 14.

Both ALDS losses were credited to the Yankees bullpen, as well as a blown save by Clarke Schmidt in Game 3 when Holmes was unavailable.

Right-hander Jonathan Loáisiga has been reliable, and lefty Wandy Peralta appeared in all five ALDS games, but compared to Houston's staple of impact arms waiting in the bullpen, the Yankees relief corps looks like the unit that could decide the outcome of this series.

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Final Prediction

There has been no love lost between these two clubs since Houston's sign-stealing scandal was revealed, which had a direct impact on the Astros eliminating the Yankees in the 2017 ALCS en route to a World Series title.

Nothing would be sweeter for the Yankees than to return the favor with an ALCS ousting of their own, but they're facing an absolutely loaded Astros team with no rest or time to shuffle the pitching staff. The battle ahead is an uphill one, to say the least.

Prediction: Astros in 6

The New York Yankees will face the Houston Astros in the American League Championship Series for the third time since 2017.

Houston beat the Yanks in both 2017 and 2019, but Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton doesn't have revenge on his mind as New York gets ready for the next round.

"Revenge is whatever for me. It's what's right now. They're in the way of where we need to go, so we've got to take care of it"

- Giancarlo Stanton on the upcoming ALCS against the Astros pic.twitter.com/jraj88nNXY

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) October 18, 2022

Stanton wasn't on the team in 2017, when the Yankees lost to the Astros in seven games. But he was on the roster in 2019, when New York fell to Houston in six.

The Yankees are moving on by virtue of their 5-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday, which cemented a best-of-five AL Division Series victory.

Stanton led the Yankees to their 5-1 win by virtue of a three-run home run in the first inning to give New York a 3-0 lead. The Yankees never looked back from there thanks to some timely pitching and insurance runs via an Aaron Judge solo blast and an Anthony Rizzo RBI single.

Now the Yankees move on to play the Astros, who won an AL-high 106 games this year. They'll be the clear favorites against a tired Yankees squad which won't have a rest day before the ALCS.

Houston, which has home-field advantage, also hasn't played since Saturday. The Astros will get to reset their rotation and start staff ace Justin Verlander in Game 1.

The series will start Wednesday at 7:37 p.m. ET from Houston's Minute Maid Park.

The New York Yankees survived a stiff test from the Cleveland Guardians to advance to the American League Championship Series for the first time since 2019.

Thanks to the big bats of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, the Yankees earned a 5-1 victory in Game 5 over the Guardians on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium.

Stanton got the scoring started in the first inning with a three-run homer off Aaron Civale. Judge joined the fun with a solo shot in the bottom of the second inning off Sam Hentges.

Been doing it all year. #ALLRISE pic.twitter.com/hxiEW3jjae

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 18, 2022

This marked the fourth different time Judge and Stanton have homered in the same game in the playoffs.

Today is the 4th time that Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton have homered in the same postseason game, the most instances by a pair of teammates in @Yankees history. pic.twitter.com/FtmwUqG9kR

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 18, 2022

The #Yankees are 27-2 when Aaron Judge & Giancarlo Stanton homer in the same game.

— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) October 18, 2022

https://twitter.com/MarlyRiveraESPN/status/1582486288963231744

Aaron Judge & Giancarlo Stanton have homered in the same postseason game 4 times, tied for 2nd-most times homering as teammates in same postseason game all-time, behind only:

Carlos Correa/George Springer: 8

h/t @EliasSports

tied with: ⬇️

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 18, 2022

Per MLB.com's Sarah Langs, the only losses for the Yankees when Judge and Stanton homer in the same game were the Field of Dreams game against the Chicago White Sox in 2021 and when Judge hit his 62nd homer of the regular season on Oct. 4.

Judge, who could be playing his final games in the Bronx with free agency looming, has developed a flare for the dramatic in his postseason career.

The presumptive favorite to win the AL MVP became MLB's all-time leader in homers in winner-take-all playoff games on Tuesday.

Aaron Judge has hit four home runs in winner-take-all postseason games.

That's the most in MLB history.

— Max Goodman (@MaxTGoodman) October 18, 2022

updating this AGAIN...

most career HR in winner-take-all postseason games:

Aaron Judge: 4
Giancarlo Stanton: 3
Yogi Berra: 3
Didi Gregorius: 3
Troy O’Leary: 3
Moose Skowron: 3

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 18, 2022

The Yankees are 3-1 in those games when Judge homers. This is their first such victory in a playoff series. Their two previous wins came in the one-game wild card in 2017 and 2018. He also hit one in New York's 2-1 loss in Game 5 of the 2020 ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays.

With the Bronx Bombers now four wins away from their first World Series appearance since 2009, here's the reaction to Judge's homer and the Yankees celebrating.

Aaron Judge kissing the Yankees logo after his HR ❤️ @MLBpic.twitter.com/vsYe8CsX9r

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) October 18, 2022

AARON JUDGE KISSED THE LOGOOO HE’S HERE TO STAYYYYYYYY

— Chasidy 🇩🇴🇵🇷 (@chass_dee_) October 18, 2022

Yankees Most Career Postseason HR:

Bernie Williams 22
Derek Jeter 20
Mickey Mantle 18
Babe Ruth 15
Aaron Judge 13

— Katie Sharp (@ktsharp) October 18, 2022

When Aaron Judge kissed the logo pic.twitter.com/LDCuUeuOI9

— Marin (@mmarin_805) October 18, 2022

https://twitter.com/KimmeyHead/status/1582476507523358720

AARON JUDGE IS ALL THE WAY BACK

— JL (@JLas43_) October 18, 2022

Because of Game 5 having to be rescheduled from Monday to Tuesday because of rain in New York, Judge and the Yankees don't have much time to enjoy this victory.

The Yankees and Houston Astros will play Game 1 of the ALCS on Wednesday at Minute Maid Park. Manager Aaron Boone has already said Jameson Taillon, who would have started if there were a game Monday, will take the ball for New York.

Houston will counter with AL Cy Young favorite Justin Verlander. This will mark the third time in the past six seasons the Yankees and Astros have played for the AL pennant. Houston won the previous two meetings in 2017 and 2019.

Aaron Boone's puzzling decision to not deploy Clay Holmes in the New York Yankees' 6-5 loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday night at Progressive Field has everyone scratching their heads.

Luis Severino, who started Game 3 of Saturday's American League Division Series, told reporters he was shocked Boone didn't turn to Holmes to close the bottom of the ninth inning.

"He's our closer. So of course I was surprised. I don't know if he was down. There shouldn't be people down in the playoffs," Severino said. "That's something you guys need to ask Boone or [pitching coach Matt] Blake to see what was going on there."

The Yankees blew a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning after the Guardians managed to drive in three runs off a combination of relievers Wandy Peralta and Clarke Schmidt.

Boone told reporters after the game that Holmes was available out of the bullpen only in an "emergency" situation. SNY's Andy Martino asked Boone what constituted an emergency, and he responded, "extra innings and all other pitchers used."

The 49-year-old added that he did not want to use Holmes on back-to-back nights and that he would be available for Sunday's Game 4.

Holmes, who was shut down for the final nine games of the regular season with a shoulder strain, told reporters after the loss that he was ready to enter the game.

"I prepared today to do my job. Sometimes those decisions aren't mine. I feel like I'm available to pitch," Holmes said. "Whenever my name is called, I'm ready to go out there and give it everything I've got.

"They asked, and I said I was good to go if needed."

Holmes, 29, had an impressive regular season en route to an All-Star selection. In 62 appearances, he posted a 2.54 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 65 strikeouts across 63.2 innings. He also posted 20 saves after taking over the role from a struggling Aroldis Chapman.

The Yankees now face a win-or-go-home Game 4 on Sunday. They haven't reached the American League Championship Series since 2019, and a loss to the Guardians would be a tough blow for a team that saw Aaron Judge set the AL home run record and won 99 games during the regular season en route to the AL East crown.

The New York Yankees enter a win-or-go-home Game 4 against the Guardians on Sunday after falling 6-5 to Cleveland on Saturday night in Game 3 of the American League Division Series at Progressive Field.

Entering the ninth inning of Saturday's game, the Yankees held a 5-3 lead and were on pace to snag the victory, but the Guardians went on to score three runs off relievers Wandy Peralta and Clarke Schmidt for the comeback win.

After the loss, fans ripped Yankees manager Aaron Boone for his poor bullpen management after he used a combination of Peralta and Schmidt to close out the game instead of Clay Holmes.

Lou Trivino and Jonathan Loáisiga also saw time in relief of starter Luis Severino. Closer Clay Holmes did not see the mound.

Bullpen mismanagement and reliever injuries have been an issue for months. Now the Yankees season is on the brink because of it. What a mess.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) October 16, 2022

The Yankees bullpen... woof. Aaron Boone did not manage that well either way.

— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) October 16, 2022

Aaron Boone completely mismanaged his bullpen tonight again, he brings in Trevino in a high leverage spot and he burns lasagna in a non-high leveraged spot and now he's got Schmidt pitching with the game on the line

— Sean Shilinsky (@SeanShilinsky) October 16, 2022

I have no clue what Aaron Boone was doing with his bullpen. Yanks had a 2-run lead entering the 9th, used two pitchers but didn’t use their closer. Guess he’s saving him for next season, when thankfully Boone won’t be around.

— Will Manso (@WillManso) October 16, 2022

https://twitter.com/PottsChris_/status/1581482797855744001

Leaving Clarke Schmidt in after 3 straight hits is Exhibit Z in the case against Aaron Boone as manager for the New York Yankees. We're way past A at this point. This isn't the franchise I grew up with and it makes me long for the days for Torre.

— Ethan Finkelstein (@IAmFinkelstein) October 16, 2022

Aaron Boone mismanaged his bullpen again for the 100x in history lol.

Called it in the 7th lol

— Zion (@ZionOlojede) October 16, 2022

Aaron Boone. Bad game. Sadness

— David Lang (@Dukielang) October 16, 2022

Aaron Boone went from pushing the right button by keeping Severino in the game to every other decision he made as the game moved along backfired.

— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) October 16, 2022

The Yankees have to move on from Aaron Boone this off-season. He's not the guy.

— kevikev (@KevCoke6) October 16, 2022

After the game, Boone told reporters that Holmes was only available on Saturday in an "emergency." He didn't want to use Holmes on back-to-back nights and expects him to be available for Game 4 on Sunday.

However, Holmes told reporters he was surprised that Boone didn't hand him the ball in the ninth inning and that he woke up ready to pitch if needed.

Clay Holmes says he was surprised he wasn't called upon in the 9th inning:

"I woke up today preparing to pitch if needed." pic.twitter.com/giJFoKS3hW

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) October 16, 2022

Holmes, who has served as New York's closer for much of the season, had been dealing with a shoulder strain and was shut down for the last nine games of the regular season. With the series on the line, the Yankees will need him available on Sunday.

The Yankees have not made it past the ALDS since 2019.

New York Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu was left off the American League Divisional Series roster as he recovers from a foot fracture, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

Though he's not ruled out for future rounds, Sherman reported it is a "difficult road to play again this year."

LeMahieu had been dealing with a foot/toe issue since Aug. 14, as Yankees manager Aaron Boone explained to reporters. The 34-year-old went on the injured list in September with inflammation of his right second toe, although he returned a few weeks later and played the final week of the regular season.

LeMahieu hasn't been as productive as New York had hoped this season. He batted .261 with a .357 on-base percentage and 12 home runs in 125 games. He also struggled mightily in 2021 with a .268 batting average, his lowest since 2014.

The three-time All-Star's current level of production is a steep drop off from his first two seasons with the Yankees, both of which saw him finish in the top five in American League MVP voting. He won his second career batting title in 2020 after leading the majors with a .364 average. The Yankees rewarded him with a six-year, $90 million deal prior to the 2021 season.

Despite his struggles at the plate, LeMahieu is a vital piece for New York because of his versatility on the infield. The three-time Gold Glove award winner can line up at first base, second base and third base.

The Yankees are vying for their first World Series title since 2009. They won the AL East with a 99-63 record, setting up a divisional series matchup with the Cleveland Guardians after a first-round bye.

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone omitted Aroldis Chapman from his American League Division Series roster.

Boone told reporters the veteran reliever missed a workout and did not have "an acceptable excuse."

https://twitter.com/lindseyadler/status/1579131828568412160

He left the door open for Chapman to get activated for a later postseason series.

General manager Brian Cashman emphasized how this is uncharted territory across his tenure.

Brian Cashman said this is the first time since he’s been with the Yankees that a player did not show up for a mandatory postseason workout.

Congrats to Arolids Chapman for making history!

— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) October 9, 2022

Cashman said he was shocked at first about Chapman & then not. “There's some questions about whether he's been all in or not for a little while. He’s maintained verbally, but the actions don't match those words.“

— James Wagner (@ByJamesWagner) October 9, 2022

This adds to what has been the worst year of Chapman's career. He finished with a 4.46 ERA and a FIP (4.57) that was two runs higher than his lifetime average (2.34). Per Brooks Baseball, his four-seam fastball velocity (97.46 mph) was his lowest on record.

In general, the biggest advantage the Cuban star had is gone with so many other relievers regularly hitting the high 90s and triple digits on the radar gun.

Because of his struggles on the mound, Chapman's absence may not have a significant impact on New York in the next round.

Lou Trivino and Scott Effross have provided their expected impact after arriving ahead of the trade deadline, and Clay Holmes is on the verge of returning after battling shoulder trouble.

Clay Holmes said he is scheduled to face hitters tomorrow and felt “free and easy” throwing off the mound. He expects to be on the ALDS roster but is not sure if he will be available for Game 1.

— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) October 9, 2022

Teams can never have too many relief options in the playoffs, but Chapman didn't figure to be somebody Boone would turn to in high-leverage situations in the ALDS. That probably won't change if he rejoins the team.

This could be how Chapman's tenure with the Bronx Bombers ends since he's a free agent in the offseason. Cashman's comments are relatively damning and appear to tip the organization's hand as to how it will approach Chapman's free agency.

Aaron Judge fell short in his quest to become Major League Baseball's first triple-crown winner in a decade.

Judge, the presumptive favorite to win the American League MVP award, finished five points behind Minnesota Twins star Luis Arraez for the batting title. The New York Yankees slugger sat out Wednesday's season finale, keeping him at .311 for the season.

Arraez went 1-for-1 with two walks in three plate appearances against the Chicago White Sox before he was pulled in the top of the third. His final average was .316.

.@Arraez_21 is lifted for a pinch-runner with his .316 average.

Congrats on a great season, Luis! 👏👏👏#EyesOnArraez 👀 pic.twitter.com/RW0vJlspd9

— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) October 5, 2022

Judge played 54 consecutive games dating back to Aug. 6. He did lobby to start Wednesday's game, but Yankees manager Boone told reporters he made the call to sit his superstar right fielder.

"I think in the end we’re good either way and I just decided," Boone said. "It was a short conversation."

Judge was in the starting lineup for both games of Tuesday's doubleheader. He hit his AL-record 62nd homer to leadoff the second game and was pulled in the bottom of the second inning.

SIXTY-TWO! BASEBALL HISTORY! @TheJudge44 is the American League home run King! pic.twitter.com/QKrcuOvZMU

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 5, 2022

Judge's final stat line for the 2022 regular season is .311/.425/.686 with 62 homers, 131 RBI, 133 runs scored and 16 stolen bases. He led MLB in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, homers, runs scored and tied for most RBI with New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso.

After going 2-for-4 in a victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sept. 23, Judge was hitting .317 and moved ahead of Arraez in the race for the batting title. His pursuit of the home-run record may have led to him pressing a little bit, as he only hit .216 over the next 13 games. He still got on base at a .473 clip during that span, so it wasn't all bad news.

But the brief dip in hitting production allowed Arraez to move back into the top spot. The 25-year-old closed the season on fire with a .385 average in his past 26 at-bats entering play on Wednesday.

Future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera remains the last MLB player to win the triple crown. He led the AL in batting average (.330), homers (44) and RBI (139) during the 2012 season for the Detroit Tigers to win the first of his back-to-back MVP awards.

Judge's next task will be helping the Yankees in their quest to win the World Series for the first time since 2009. They will host the winner of the Tampa Bay Rays-Cleveland Guardians series in the American League Division Series starting on Tuesday.