Yankees KILLED ALCS game against Astros, umpire may have played last game

The New York Yankees were eliminated from the playoffs as they lost in the ALCS Houston Astros Sunday evening.

Jordan Alvarez and Alex Bregman hit big and the Houston Astros reached the World Series again, ending New York’s 4-game sweep of the AL Championship Series with a 6-5 victory on Sunday night, fueled by another defensive error by the Yankees.

Taking advantage of a valuable error by second baseman Gleyber Torres to get the go-ahead run in the seventh inning, the Astros won their second straight pennant and fourth in six years.

Houston Astros Advance to World Series After Completing 4-Game ALCS Sweep

Ironically, it was star slugger and record-scorer Aaron Judge who was the last Yankees hitter.

Garrison Bader offered New York a glimmer of hope as he led off the Yankees in the sixth

Houston Astros Jose Altuve scores after a base hit by Jordan Alvarez in the seventh inning

Rookie shortstop Jeremy Peña hit a three-run homer against ailing Yankees starter Nestor Cortez to help the AL West champions overcome a 3-0 deficit.

Houston opens the World Series at home on Friday night against Bryce Harper and the wild-card Phillies, who beat San Diego earlier in the day to close out the best-of-seven NLCS in five games.

For the first time since 1992, both pennants were determined on the same day.

After losing to Atlanta in last year’s World Series, Houston earned its fifth pennant in franchise history and another shot at a second World Series championship.

The team’s 2017 title run was marred by a cheating scandal.

Alvarez hits an RBI base hit to score the tying run against the New York Yankees.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa is ruled out on a throwing error by baseman Gleyber Torres

Houston Astros Jeremy Pena (3) reacts after scoring on a base hit by Alex Bregman

Yankees shortstop Heliber Torres returns to first base in the third inning

The loss to the Yankees means Aaron Judge’s future is uncertain. Whether Aaron Boone has one remains to be seen.

Judge’s career in pinstripes could have ended when he hit the final out of Sunday night’s 6-5 rout of the Houston Astros that ended a 4-game AL championship streak while the Yankees snapped the another collapse of defense.

Hours before Opening Day, Judge opted out of a seven-year, $213.5 million contract from 2023 to 2029, opting instead to remain eligible for free agency after the World Series.

The loss to the Yankees means Aaron Judge’s future is uncertain after his historic season

He set an American League record with 62 homers, tied for the major league lead with 131 RBI and finished second in the AL with a .311 average. But he hit just .139 with three RBIs and 15 strikeouts in postseason play, going 1-for-16 (.063) with no RBIs against the Astros. He made it to the finals on a comeback.

Able to negotiate with all teams starting in the sixth day after the World Series, Judge should reap a big reward for betting on himself. He can sign a $300 million contract.

Last October, Boone agreed to a three-year term with a 2025 team option. In his fifth season as manager, New York rolled to a 61-23 record in early July, drawing comparisons to the 1998 championship Yankees. But burdened by injuries, the Yankees went 38-40 the rest of the way.

Manager Aaron Boone agreed to a three-year deal with the team through 2025 last October

Cleveland extended its division streak to five games, and Boone’s pitching and fielding decisions were repeatedly questioned. The debate would only increase after he walked Nestor Cortez on Sunday night and the All-Star left-hander allowed a tying three-run homer to Jeremy Pena. Boone then removed Cortez, and the Yankees announced that the left-hander had a recurrence of his left groin injury.

New York’s defense has been a constant problem in the playoffs, committing six turnovers and fumbling multiple times.

New York, without a World Series title since 2009, enters an offseason with pitcher Jameson Taillon, outfielder Andrew Benintendi and shortstops Matt Carpenter and Marvin Gonzalez eligible for free agency, along with relievers Chad Green, Miguel Castro, Zach Britton and Aroldis Chapman. .

Boone removed Nestor Cortez as the pitcher’s left groin injury recurred

First baseman Anthony Rizzo can opt out of his $16 million salary next season, and the Yankees will likely exercise the $15 million option on pitcher Luis Severino rather than pay the $2.75 million buyout.

Brian Cashman, general manager since 1998, is coming to the end of a five-year contract. In recent years, he has tried to retool the lineup to make the batting order less right-handed and improve defense.

The process began when Gleyber Torres was moved to second base in September 2021, catcher Gary Sanchez was traded last winter and followed up with the August acquisition of center fielder Harrison Bader.