NEW YORK — The New York Yankees have had quite a lot of issues with the Toronto Blue Jays within the ALDS, however Aaron Decide will not be one in every of them. Tuesday evening in Sport 3, New York’s captain launched a game-tying three-run dwelling run off the left discipline foul pole to finish his group’s comeback from an early 6-1 deficit. The Yankees have prevented elimination for at the least yet one more evening and compelled Sport 4 on Wednesday (NYY 9, TOR 6).
“I felt like I made good contact and I thought we had a chance,” Decide stated after the sport in regards to the ball staying truthful. “You just never know with the wind, if it’s going to push it foul, keep curving or not. But I guess a couple ghosts out there helped kind of keep that fair.”
The house run was Decide’s first of the 2025 postseason and in addition his sixth profession homer along with his group dealing with elimination, tying Corridor of Famer David Ortiz for essentially the most in MLB historical past. The Yankees are 4-2 in elimination video games when Decide goes deep.
That could be a particular dwelling run hit by a particular participant. Based on Statcast, it’s the quickest pitch Decide has ever hit for a homer (99.7 mph) and in addition the farthest inside pitch Decide has ever hit for a homer (1.2 toes). It’s the quickest inside pitch any participant has hit out of the park since pitch-tracker launched in 2008. It takes a 1 of 1 participant to try this.
“You’re just in the moment. Just trust your eyes, trust your swing.” Decide stated when requested how he received to that pitch. “I feel like I can get to every pitch in the zone. I think the biggest thing is just being ready on time. I think it’s all timing. That’s what a lot of hitting comes down to.”
Blue Jays supervisor John Schneider put it extra succinctly: “That was a ridiculous swing.”
Why Blue Jays’ John Schneider isn’t sweating that game-changing Aaron Decide dwelling run: ‘Give him credit, man’
Matt Snyder
Decide has been criticized, not unfairly, for a scarcity of postseason affect all through his profession. He entered 2025 as a .199/.313/.435 hitter in 57 profession postseason video games, numbers far beneath his immense regular-season manufacturing. Even this postseason, Decide was 8 for 18 (.444) going into Sport 3, however with seven singles and never a lot game-changing affect.
Now, Decide is shedding the postseason monkey that has been on his again the final 9 years. He went 3 for 4 with an RBI double to get the Yankees to inside 6-2, after which the three-run homer to tie Sport 3. The massive evening improved him to .500/.577/.727 by means of New York’s six video games this postseason. Decide has reached base 15 occasions and made solely 11 outs.
The Blue Jays have been spooked sufficient to deliberately stroll Decide with one out and the bases empty within the sixth inning Tuesday, which led to an insurance coverage run. And on prime of the offense, Decide made a diving catch to take at the least a single away from Anthony Santander, if not hold a run off the board. It’s not usually one participant can take over a recreation on this sport, however Decide did in Sport 3.
“The diving catch was great. A perfect jump on it,” Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone stated. “Right when we got back in, now here they go, it looks like they’re going to lead off with base runners, and he shut it down right away.”
The five-run comeback is tied for the second largest in Yankees postseason historical past behind a six-run comeback in Sport 4 of the 1996 World Collection in opposition to the Atlanta Braves. It’s also the third-largest comeback in an elimination recreation in baseball historical past. The Yankees nonetheless have by no means been swept within the ALDS. They’re 4-0 all-time in Sport 3 when down 2-0 within the sequence.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit his first dwelling run of the playoffs to present the Yankees a lead they might by no means give up within the fifth inning, and 5 relievers stored Toronto off the scoreboard for the ultimate 6 ⅔ innings. That features Devin Williams‘ first four-out look since Might 2023. The Yankees received contributions up and down the lineup and from nearly everybody within the bullpen.
Decide was the star of Sport 3 although and the Yankees wanted him to be. There was no likelihood — zero — the Yankees would be capable to drive Sport 4 with out Decide making a distinction in Sport 3. He wanted to place his group on his again, which he does for lengthy stretches of time each season. Now Decide has finished it in October, and the Yankees reside to play one other day.
“Just trying to just do my job, what I’ve been trying to do all year,” Decide stated. “Not trying to do too much. Guy’s on base, drive him in. If no one’s on base, try to get a rally going. That’s all you can do, especially in front of our fans.”
