As stunned pinstriped fans streamed out of Yankee Stadium late Monday night, the late Frank Sinatra addressed the streets of the Bronx, shouting from the ballpark speakers:

“It’s up to you, New York, New York.”

After watching the Los Angeles Dodgers win Game 3 (4-2) to take a 3-0 World Series lead, no one walking off the field needed Ol’ Blue Eyes’ call to action.

Yankee Stadium hadn’t hosted a World Series game since 2009, and they suddenly found themselves in an unimaginable situation in their long-awaited return to the Fall Classic. Freddie Freeman’s first-inning home run, which tied George Springer’s home run in five consecutive World Series games, gave the Dodgers a lead they would never relinquish. An air of defeat hovered over the basketball court like a darkening storm cloud. Before the eighth inning, Yankees fans had already begun to leave the ballpark.

It will be “Shut up or shut up” for the Bronx Bombers on Tuesday night at 8:08 PM ET. There have been 21 four-game sweeps in World Series history (including the ’04 and ’07 Red Sox). According to the Elias Sports Bureau, there have been 24 instances in the World Series where a team took a 3-0 lead, but only the 1910 Cubs, 1937 Giants and 1970 Reds managed to avoid elimination with a Game 4 victory; each time, their opponents clinched it in Game 5.

Saying the Yankees aren’t used to being in such a tight spot is like saying David Ortiz has been “pretty good” in postseason at-bats: a huge understatement. New York has won 41 pennants and 27 championships, including an 8-3 mark in 11 previous World Series appearances with the Dodgers. St. The St. Louis Cardinals are the only other Major League team with 11 total championships.

It was almost rare on Monday night, too. The Yankees have been eliminated only nine times in their home World Series games; most recently ’03, ’96 and ’58. Alex Verdugo’s 2-run homer in the bottom of the ninth saved them from shutting out the 10th.

But this is also painfully familiar and unique territory for the Yankees. In the ’04 ALCS, they were up 3-0 before the Red Sox won the next four games to capture a historic pennant victory. This remains the only such comeback in the best-of-seven MLB series. In fact, this was the first time a team forced a Game 7 after trailing 0-3.

After October 20th, the shoe steps on the other foot. What’s worse: to lead in historic fashion and implode, or to stay behind and knowingly, with every team in the Yankees’ position going home bitterly disappointed, except for a group of self-proclaimed “Idiots”? Or, to end all ironies, should they now try to channel the energy of the team that ironically handed them the most humiliating defeat in postseason history?

‘Don’t let us win tonight.’ ‘Shock the world.’

This wouldn’t be the first time the Yankees tried to capitalize on some of the ’04 Boston magic. During the ’22 postseason, manager Aaron Boone revealed that Yankees mental skills coach Chad Bohling sent players highlights of the ’04 Red Sox. Eduardo Perez even had a FaceTime call with David Ortiz from Boone’s office for a pre-game pep talk. The result led to the Astros and Pedro Martinez gleefully asking “New York, who’s your daddy now?” on TBS’s postgame show. ‘ he asked.

To paraphrase Taylor Swift, the Yankees had seen this movie before and they hated repeating its ending. But history shows that the outcome will likely be the same.

They went as far as losing to Dave Roberts on their home turf.

First Publication Date: October 29, 2024 15:53 ​​EDT