Did The Yankees Bench Their Best Answer To Elimination

Highlights

• Aaron Boone left Paul Goldschmidt on the bench despite his track record against Shane Bieber
  
• Yankees stacked left-handers in the lineup, even though Bieber has dominated lefties this season
  
• Judge, Stanton, and Volpe hold the key matchups from the right side
  

Aaron Boone dropped a hint before Game 3 of the American League Division Series that lineup changes might be coming. Instead, the New York Yankees manager stayed with a familiar card in a win-or-go-home game. 

The decision itself wasn’t surprising, but who he left out was.

Paul Goldschmidt has faced Shane Bieber enough to matter, and he has hit him. Goldschmidt owns a .500 career average against Bieber. In this postseason alone, he has hit .571 in limited at-bats and is riding a three-game hitting streak.

 He has also been one of the most reliable October bats of his generation, hitting .283 with eight home runs across 27 postseason games. On paper, he matched up as well as any Yankee in this series.

But Goldschmidt was not in the starting nine against the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Lineup Boone Trusted

The Yankees stuck with Trent Grisham in center, Aaron Judge in right, Cody Bellinger in left, Ben Rice at first, Giancarlo Stanton at designated hitter, Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second, Ryan McMahon at third, Anthony Volpe at short, and Austin Wells catching. It was the same look Boone leaned on down the stretch, familiar in its mix of veterans and young players.

This group has had mixed results against Bieber. Judge is just 1-for-13 against him in his career, though his lone hit was a home run. Stanton is 3-for-15 with extra-base power, while Volpe is hitless in seven at-bats. Bellinger, Chisholm, and McMahon are a combined 0-for-9. Wells, Rice, and Grisham have little to no history against him.

The Bieber Puzzle

What makes Boone’s decision stand out is Bieber’s 2025 profile. Since returning from injury and settling into Toronto’s rotation, he has leaned on command and sequencing over raw strikeouts. His splits tell the story. Right-handed batters have done significant damage against him, hitting close to .300 with power. Left-handers, however, have been overmatched, managing little more than singles all season.

That reverse split flips the conventional strategy. Most managers would look to load up right-handed bats, even against a right-handed pitcher. Boone instead leaned into his usual balance of left and right, trusting the same combination that carried the Yankees this far.

Why Not Goldschmidt?

The Yankees did not acquire Paul Goldschmidt to be a defensive replacement. They brought the former National League MVP in for nights like this. His postseason track record is strong, his bat remains consistent, and his career line against Bieber is better than any other Yankee on the roster.

Boone’s choice to stick with Rice at first base is simply for continuity and potential power. Grisham, who has struggled in the postseason, staying in center is about range and reliability. Wells is the catcher of choice. It seems like the Yankees trust their defense in a must-win game, hoping the bats of Judge and Stanton can carry the load.