On one side, there was pure bliss. The other was all dejection.
The Yankees celebrated with champagne in the home clubhouse after their 9-2 rout of the Red Sox in Game 2 of the wild-card series, sweeping their way into the ALDS against the Rays.
Though Aaron Judge did not play in the series due to a right calf strain, he was all smiles in the clubhouse celebration. He even said the Bombers felt motivated by New York’s 2026 basketball champs.
“We’re definitely inspired by the Knicks, gotta keep the winning going in New York,” Judge said.
The fun spilled back onto the field as the Yankees reveled in their second straight wild-card series win over the Red Sox after last year’s series ended with the Bombers taking it in three games.
Cody Bellinger, who crushed a three-run homer in the sixth to put the game on ice, said the atmosphere in The Bronx was “special” for the home players.
“Honestly, this place is such an amazing place to play in the postseason,” Bellinger told YES Network. “Fans are so into the game; it’s just an electric atmosphere. It’s really special.”
Jazz Chisholm Jr. even wore a bright orange Yankee Stadium events pinnie on the grass.
On the other side, the Red Sox, who made a magical run in the summer just to get over .500 and turn into playoff contenders, saw their postseason hopes get dashed as quickly as they could.
Garrett Crochet, who returned to the mound for the first time since late April after dealing with left shoulder inflammation, was lit up for three runs on four hits without recording an out in relief.
He didn’t mince words about how it felt to see the season end the way it did.
“I feel healthy but I feel like s–t,” Crochet said after Boston’s loss. “For our season to end the same way it did last year, against what the media would probably portray, and I think a lot of the guys in this clubhouse would say, is our biggest rival, it sucks. We made ’em earn it — that’s part of it. They’re a good team.
“It just sucks that’s how it ends for us.”
The Yankees will next play Tampa Bay in the ALDS, which starts Saturday.
