NEW YORK – The 2025 Yankees are gone sooner than they expected, undone by a team they never quite solved.
For all their late-season fight and the backs-against-the-wall drama of Aaron Judge’s unforgettable October moment a night earlier, they ran out of answers against the Blue Jays on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium, falling short in a season-ending 5-2 loss in Game 4 of the American League Division Series.
“We didn’t do our job; didn’t finish the goal,” Judge said. “We had a special group in here, a lot of special players that made this year fun. But we didn’t get the ultimate prize, so we came up short.”
Coming off the game of his life in the AL Wild Card clincher, rookie Cam Schlittler pitched well into the seventh inning, but Jazz Chisholm Jr. booted what could have been an inning-ending double play ball. The miscue proved costly when Nathan Lukes connected for a two-run single off Devin Williams, effectively putting New York’s season on ice.
“I’m still going to be thinking about this, even probably when the season starts next year,” Chisholm said.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and George Springer also drove in runs for the Blue Jays, who cycled through their pitching staff effectively in a bullpen game. Ryan McMahon’s solo third-inning homer tied the game at the time, but the Yanks were unable to generate anything more until Judge’s RBI single in the ninth.
“The ending’s the worst, right?” said manager Aaron Boone. “Especially when you know you have a really good group of guys that came together so well at the right time, the final couple months. Credit to the Blue Jays and the year they’ve had. They beat us this series, simple as that.”
As Boone noted, these Yankees played some of their best baseball down the stretch, completing the regular season with eight consecutive victories and matching last year’s 94-win total in pursuit of a second straight AL East title.
But Toronto claimed the division crown via the head-to-head tiebreaker, forcing New York into the Wild Card Series and an early October gauntlet. The Yankees could only watch the Blue Jays celebrate, a foreboding glimpse of what was to come.
That Wild Card Series against the Red Sox delivered a brief, thrilling reprieve. Forced to play win-or-go-home games twice after dropping Game 1, the Yankees clawed their way back to life. They evened the series behind Chisholm’s daring dash around the bases in Game 2, then rode Schlittler’s right arm the next night.
For a fleeting moment, the idea of another pennant run didn’t seem far-fetched – but then came Toronto again.
“They hit the crap out of the ball,” catcher Austin Wells said. “They didn’t miss, and they took advantage of every free base we gave them.”
Judge’s unforgettable homer sparked hope in Game 3, but with passports in hand, the Yanks couldn’t extend their season a second day.
“I want to get back out there right now,” Judge said.
So the Yankees have fallen short of their goal to return to the World Series following last year’s loss to the Dodgers. They instead join the growing list of powerful pinstriped rosters that fell short of the Canyon of Heroes, left to explain why the most decorated franchise in American sports hasn’t hoisted a trophy since 2009.
It was a turbulent year from the outset. Juan Soto’s departure in free agency forced a recalibration: signing Fried, trading for Cody Bellinger and signing Paul Goldschmidt. All three delivered – Fried emerged as a staff leader, Bellinger provided steady professionalism and Goldschmidt served as a quiet, unflappable presence.
Still, they were tested constantly, especially during a swoon that spanned June into August. Gerrit Cole never threw a pitch, undergoing Tommy John surgery in March. Fried stepped into the ace role, while Carlos Rodón set career highs in numerous categories.
Judge hit .331, becoming the tallest batting champion (6-foot-7) in history, along with 53 home runs, 114 RBIs and AL-leading marks in on-base percentage (.457), slugging (.688) and OPS (1.145). Judge, Mickey Mantle (1956) and Jimmie Foxx (1938) are the only players to win a batting title and hit 50 or more homers in a season.
Around him, new stars emerged. Trent Grisham belted a career-high 34 homers. Chisholm joined the 30-30 club, just the third Yankee ever to do so. Ben Rice showed signs of becoming a foundational piece. The Yankees had plenty of talent – just not the answers for Toronto.
“We didn’t execute enough to win these games,” Giancarlo Stanton said.
And because these are the Yankees, the verdict will always be “championship or bust,” a mission statement that still comes from the top. When the Dodgers celebrated last October, Judge called the season a “failure.” This time, he said, “Not a good year.”
It has been 16 years since the Yankees last stood atop the baseball world, a drought unthinkable to previous generations of pinstriped royalty. This group, defined by star power and flashes of dominance, has been unable to complete the job.
The window remains open, but each October exit makes the frame a little smaller, the questions a little louder.
“It’s the worst conversation to have,” Stanton said. “So you do whatever is possible to not be here at this moment. Obviously, the frustration adds each year, and each time we’ve got to come up and do this.”
