NEW YORK – Outscored 23-8 and out-homered 8-1 in this best-of-five AL Division Series, the Yankees arrive Tuesday in an already-familiar spot – facing postseason elimination.
Back at Yankee Stadium, Aaron Judge and company are charged with finding that power groove in Game 3 against the Blue Jays, who’ll start Shane Bieber.
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The right-handed Bieber posted a 3.57 ERA in seven starts after arriving via trade from Cleveland and rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.
Yankees’ starter Carlos Rodon started an elimination Wild Card Series Game 2 last Wednesday in the Bronx, yielding three runs over six innings in a 4-3 victory against the Red Sox.
In two starts against Toronto this year, both at Rogers Centre, Rodon went five innings each time and was charged with four runs in a combined, yielding 11 hits – but no home runs (he walked 8 batters and struck out 8).
Of note, Vlad Guerrero Jr. (6-for-9, 2 HR, 6 RBI in the ALDS) has a .308 career batting average, 16 homers and 1.002 OPS in 47 career starts at Yankee Stadium.
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Against Rodon, Vlad Jr. is 10-for-17 (.588) with three doubles, four walks and a homer.
Here is the Yankees’ lineup, with Tuesday night’s first pitch set for 8:08 p.m.:
Yankees manager Aaron Boone chose not to make any changes to his lineup, though he said he would consider it based on Bieber’s reverse splits this year.
In 80 plate appearances, right-handed hitters batted .297 with a .936 OPS during the regular season, as opposed to Bieber’s .156/.434 in 79 plate appearances versus lefty hitters.
As he did in a similar spot in Game 2, Boone chose to ride with Rice at first base to start the game, keeping veteran Paul Goldschmidt – a .336 hitter vs. lefties this year, with a .981 OPS – on the bench.
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Toronto manager John Schneider will send out this lineup in Game 3:
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ,1B
Oct 4, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) celebrates after hitting a home run in the first inning against the New York Yankees during game one of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Yankees announce lineup vs Toronto Blue Jays for ALDS Game 3