Oct 5, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) reacts after a walk in the ninth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game two of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Yankees Still Can’t Compete as Real Playoff Team

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Delilah Bourque | Last updated Oct 6, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The New York Yankees fell to the Toronto Blue Jays in devastating fashion during game 2 of the AL Divisional Series. Old issues came bubbling back to the surface during the 7-13 loss, proving that the Yankees just aren't the true competitors they would like to be.

It certainly feels like all the pieces are there. The Wild Card series wins against the Boston Red Sox proved that, yes, the Pinstripes are able to put up a solid defensive showing and even featured jaw-dropping pitching performances. However, these history-making performances aren't consistent and New York tends to fall apart where it matters most. Plus, the Red Sox were experiencing a late-season slump headed into the playoffs, whereas the Blue Jays were only heating up.

For instance, despite his 6.1 innings pitched against Boston allowing no runs and four hits, Max Fried floundered against the Blue Jays. He was pulled after just three innings pitched, allowing seven runs from eight hits to give Toronto a massive lead early on. This is a problem, as the Yankees' bullpen is wildly inconsistent and Will Warren, Fried's substitute, allowed a grand slam to Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. just three batters in.

John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Then there's the other side of the ball. The Yankees, of course, are a strong offensive team. They'd have to be with the money they shell out for massive contracts on stars like Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. However, for all his power in the regular season, Judge has historically been a postseason zero and this series looks no different.

Beyond individual players, the team as a whole has a difficult time getting runners on base, which is especially problematic when the other guys have scored nine runs in the first half of the game alone. The Yankees' over-reliance on home runs is well documented, and all through the regular season they dropped games they otherwise should have won because the homers just weren't coming that day.

While the series is still young, and returning to Yankee Stadium to give the Bronx Bombers the home field advantage, their latest loss to the Blue Jays should be worrying to Yankees fans. Despite seeming like real contenders to return to the World Series, sloppy play reared it's ugly head yet again at a moment where everything should have been locked down.

Even if the Yankees manage to win this series, something that they've done in the past, it doesn't seem likely they'd take down the Detroit Tigers or Seattle Mariners in the AL Championship series, much less a World Series against a team like the best-in-baseball Milwaukee Brewers.

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