Oct 8, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) takes the field to play against the Toronto Blue Jays during game four of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

2025 Yankees Will Be Remembered For One Thing

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Joseph Randazzo | Last updated Oct 9, 2025 1:00 PM ET

The 2025 New York Yankees will be remembered for one thing. It will be less about a loss to the Toronto Blue Jays and more about their inability to play a clean game when it matters. Unfortunately, this isn't a new story.

In game five of the World Series last year, they squandered a 5-0 lead after a rash of defensive lapses put an end to their first appearance in the Fall Classic since 2009. Any shot of taking the series to Los Angeles was wasted.

Game four of the 2025 ALDS against the rival Jays was a similar story. Jazz Chisholm Jr. booted an easy double play ball, which would have gotten the young Cam Schlittler out of the inning, putting a cap on yet another brilliant postseason start by a pitcher who seems to be a budding ace in the organization.

Jazz boots an inning-ending double play. Instead it's first and third with no outs pic.twitter.com/TUJKAjJWQ7
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) October 9, 2025

Not the Only Time

The poor defense from the World Series carried over into 2025 , and despite Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner's proclamations that this would be a better and more athletic team in terms of their glove work following the loss of Juan Soto, the story remained the same. In the middle of July, the Yankees had already committed 12 errors in 10 games against Toronto before even finishing their season series with them, and that ended up becoming the difference in the AL East. The Jays played a clean brand of baseball, and the Yankees played the type of baseball that inspired John Sterling to call them drunken sailors in the 2024 ALCS.

That's what they do- run the bases like drunks! pic.twitter.com/YTaL72aZSK
— John Sterling Calls (@JSterlingCalls) October 16, 2024

On the year, the Yankees were 19th in Outs Above Average. Their -7 OAA put them near the bottom of the league, alongside teams like the Mets, White Sox, Rockies, and Nationals. They did have 30 Defensive Runs Saved, but anyone with eyes could see that this doesn't accurately reflect their play on the field.

In the last three years the Yankees made the playoffs, in all 3 elimination games 3 critical errors were made pic.twitter.com/o6hrDdedny
— Evil Empire (@octoberstanton) October 9, 2025

Lasting Impression

Chisholm, whose costly error put the season on ice, was dejected after the loss to the Jays. He said it would be hard to forget.

"I'm still going to be thinking about this, even probably when the season starts next year," Chisholm said, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.

Boone was also dejected following the loss.

"The ending's the worst, right?" said manager Aaron Boone. "Especially when you know you have a really good group of guys that came together so well at the right time, the final couple months. Credit to the Blue Jays and the year they've had. They beat us this series, simple as that."

It will be another long off-season for the Yankees. They again fell short. They again only have themselves to blame for it.

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