NEW YORK — It was supposed to be another painful Game 3 loss for the New York Yankees — their season hanging by a thread. They had trailed 6–1 against the Toronto Blue Jays, saw their most elite reliever struggling, and had not won a postseason elimination game in over a decade. But this wasn’t another collapse. Instead, it became one of the most dramatic comebacks in franchise history — a 9–6 Game 3 victory that kept them alive in the 2025 ALDS. And it all happened for one reason, according to their slugger: belief.
“Even down five runs, we knew this roster has enough fight,” Giancarlo Stanton said with his signature grin. “That’s the mindset. That’s why we’re the Yankees.”
Initially, the game had spiraled out of control. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. crushed a two-run homer in the first off pitcher Carlos Rodón. Then Toronto exploded for four more RBI hits in the third — a triple, singles, and a walk — to seize a crushing 6–1 lead. By the fifth inning, some fans had already left their seats, thinking it was over.
But Stanton, one of the most respected veterans in the clubhouse, said the energy never wavered.
“We were making mistakes, our guys were struggling, but the one thing this team has never lost is confidence,” he explained. “We knew that momentum could change with one swing.”
And that swing came from none other than Aaron Judge. With the Yankees reeling and Altuve and Bellinger on base, Judge blasted a three-run homer that ricocheted off the foul pole, tying the game at six. It was his first career postseason home run off reliever Louis Varland — a moment that shifted the momentum and the souls of the 47,399 spectators still in the stadium.
Stanton himself played a critical role in that inning. After grounding a line drive single to close the gap to 6–3, he remained in the box for several deep at-bats, helpign to extend the rally and tire the Toronto bullpen. Stanton’s sacrifice fly later pushed the score to 6–3 and set the stage for Judge’s iconic blast.
“That’s what this lineup is about,” Stanton beamed, “not one guy. Everyone does their part, and that’s what made the difference.”
The momentum carried into the fifth inning when Jazz Chisholm Jr. launched a 409-foot go-ahead homer, giving the Yankees their first lead of the night. An RBI single from Amed Rosario added insurance to make it 8–6. Later, a sacrifice fly from Ben Rice put the game beyond doubt.
When it was all said and done, the bullpen — anchored by Devin Williams and David Bednar — delivered 6 ⅔ shutout innings to close out the 9–6 victory. Stanton and Judge finished 3-for-4 night, contributing massively both in the bats and the bullpens as New York snatched the baton back from elimination.
It’s a resurgence that echoes back to Yankees lore — one of those nights where legends are born and seasons are saved. It’s also a reminder of how much Stanton’s leadership means to this club. by mid–season plagued with elbow injuries, he had hung on until October… and now, he might have just kept the Yankees’ season alive.
Leave a Reply