The New York Yankees are teetering on the edge of elimination. One more loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, and their 2025 postseason run comes to a quiet, painful end. It’s a familiar yet unwelcome position — backs against the wall, dreams hanging by a thread, and the weight of October pressing down on every pitch. To survive, the Yankees need three straight wins. The first step begins tonight, with Carlos Rodón holding the ball and the season in his hands.
Rodón has already worn the savior’s cape once this October. Just days ago, he kept the Yankees alive with a gritty six-inning, three-run outing against the Boston Red Sox, showing the fire and focus that once made him an All-Star. Now, under the bright lights of the Bronx and the tension of elimination, the left-hander must summon that same resolve — and maybe even more.
Rodón’s redemption arc continues
This start feels like another chapter in Carlos Rodón’s redemption story. His tenure in pinstripes has been a rollercoaster: flashes of dominance, moments of frustration, and constant questions about whether he could be the ace New York paid for. But when the season hangs in the balance, Rodón has an opportunity to rewrite the narrative — not with words, but with fastballs, sliders, and sheer will.
Pitching in an elimination game is a test of both heart and command. For Rodón, it’s also about trust — trusting his stuff, trusting his defense, and trusting that his offense can finally give him breathing room. Because across the diamond, Toronto’s lineup is humming, led by a mix of power and patience that has already buried New York in a 2-0 hole.
Bieber presents a different kind of challenge
Facing Rodón is Toronto’s right-hander Shane Bieber, whose peculiar “reverse splits” this year make him a tricky opponent. Unlike most righties, Bieber has been far tougher on left-handed batters this season. According to the New York Post, lefties have managed just a .156 average and a .434 OPS against him, while right-handed hitters have tagged him for a .297 average and a .936 OPS.
That statistical quirk forced Aaron Boone into a crossroads — should he adjust his lineup to chase matchups, or trust the group that carried him this far? Knowing Bieber’s career splits are more neutral, Boone chose familiarity. He’s sticking with his regular order, a sign of faith in his players to deliver when it matters most.
Yankees lineup looks to awaken
Trent Grisham will lead off and patrol center field, followed by Aaron Judge, who remains the emotional heartbeat of this team even through a quiet series. Cody Bellinger will bat third in left field, while rookie Ben Rice gets the cleanup assignment at first base.
Giancarlo Stanton, still searching for one of those thunderous October swings, bats fifth as the designated hitter. Behind him, Jazz Chisholm Jr. takes second base, followed by Ryan McMahon at third, Anthony Volpe at short, and Austin Wells behind the plate.
It’s a lineup filled with talent — but also with urgency. Grisham, Stanton, and Chisholm, in particular, have been ice-cold lately. Even Judge, by his standards, has been subdued. If the Yankees are going to extend their season, that core needs to ignite. Sometimes, one big inning can flip the script — one home run can jolt a team back to life.
A season hanging by a thread
Every postseason has its defining moment, the one where a team either collapses or fights back from the brink. For Carlos Rodón and the Yankees, this is that moment. They’ve faced adversity all year — injuries, slumps, questions about their identity — but baseball, like life, often comes down to how you respond when everything seems lost.
Rodón’s task is monumental, but so is the stage. If he can rise to it again, the Yankees’ story won’t end tonight. And just maybe, this game becomes the spark that reminds everyone why October baseball in the Bronx still feels like magic waiting to happen.