After Game 1, many thought not much could go wrong with the Yankees. But then, Game 2 happened. With their red-hot form, the Blue Jays, commanding a 2–0 lead after a pair of lopsided wins at home, have already set the big-league record for the most runs scored in a team’s first two postseason games (23). Yankees, on the other hand, have allowed 10-plus runs in back-to-back playoff games for the first time in history. Now, with an elimination game at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, a sweep seems possible.

But here is the thing: the next game is to be in the Bronx, and if there is anything about October baseball, it is the fact that nothing is ever over until the last out. Jeff Passan summed up the situation perfectly: “The Yankees will send the ALDS back to Toronto.

“As underwater as they look, the Yankees have a pathway back into this series despite a 2-0 deficit. Shane Bieber, the Blue Jays’ Game 3 starter, is going to fill up the strike zone — and has been homer-prone in recent starts. And with the short porch in right field calling, the Yankees’ left-handed bats will answer.

“Getting to Game 4 brings Cam Schlittler, who, in his first postseason start, threw eight shutout innings and punched out 12 without walking a batter. Although the Blue Jays are ball-in-play merchants, Schlittler’s stuff is overwhelming enough to quiet them and make for a Game 5 for the ages at Rogers Centre.”

Game 3 on Tuesday night is all about survival for the Yankees. They are down 0-2, leaving them with no margin for error. Jays, though, cannot get comfortable because the Yankees veterans, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, know what it is like to have the postseason breathing down your neck. Sure, the Yanks have been hammered in this series so far, outscored 23-8, with the Jays smashing eight homers to New York’s one. Even then, they see things that Toronto doesn’t, and that might just be enough to get them past this Game 3.

Yankees need not lose all hope.

Not only in 1956, but the Yankees’ history is filled with comeback epics in the postseason. Two years later, in 1958, they were in a similar situation against the Atlanta Braves. But they showed their fighting spirit and resilience, winning the series and reaffirming their ability to rise in critical moments.

The New York Yankees lost Game 2 to Toronto, but they showed spark in the game’s garbage time. They scored seven runs on 10 hits once rookie Trey Yesavage was pulled. Ben Rice even pointed out that those at-bats do matter because they’re chances to get familiarized with Toronto’s bullpen before the real do-or-die moment comes.

If the Yankees want a comeback, though, it won’t come easily. As Derek Jeter advised the Yankees after Game 1 defeat, everyone needs to stand up. It will surely take a near-perfect mix of great hitting, awesome pitching, and mostly Aaron Judge, their captain, waking up from his early postseason slump.

Plus, the Yankees have a home-field advantage, playing in Yankee Stadium, and the fact that the Jays’ pitchers need to be perfect to keep the series alive. The Yankees have a chance to shut down Shane Bieber and the Toronto Blue Jays from a sweep. Although they did make a decision that had many scratching their heads.

New York Yankees make a shocking shuffle in lineup

The Yankees are staring down at the possibility of an early exit from the playoffs after dropping the first two games at the Rogers Center. Heading back to the Bronx, the venue may have changed, but the challenges remain. For Game 3, most of the lineup has remained unchanged. But there is one exception: Paul Goldschmidt. 

Goldschmidt won’t be in the starting nine. Instead, rookie Ben Rice will step in at first base and will hit fourth in the batting order. Such a trust move in this do-or-die situation is bold since every at-bat matters here. On the mound for the Jays is Shane Bieber, and the numbers are stark. Right-handed hitters like Paul Goldschmidt have had success against him, slashing .297/.342/.595 with six home runs this season. But lefties like Rice? The numbers are not promising—156/.247/.247 with just two homers.

For now, the Yankees are banking on the crowd and home advantage to lift the spirits of the team. But the stakes are high. Aaron Boone is already under scrutiny, even by veterans. If things go wrong in this game, the Blue Jays will do anything to advance to the AL Championship Series. It all depends on one win now.