Good morning, New York. The Yankees are one loss from elimination after a four-error thud in Tampa, Karl-Anthony Towns is sounding the alarm on his Knicks contract talks, and the Giants and Jets get back to work with very different moods heading into Week 5.
The Yankees come home to the Bronx tomorrow in an 0-2 hole after a slipshod 5-2 loss to the Rays in last night’s ALDS Game 2. New York committed four errors, three of them in the first inning, making them the first team to make three in the opening frame of a postseason game since the 1975 Oakland A's. Tampa Bay broke it open with a four-run fifth, capped by Richie Palacios' two-run single, and is now one win from the ALCS.
Fire and Rice: Ben Rice hit two solo homers, the Yankees’ only runs of the series so far. His fourth-inning shot tied the game at 1-1 and ended a scoreless start to the ALDS.
Short night for Schlittler: Cam Schlittler escaped the first inning with just one run allowed on 19 pitches, but was removed after recording one out in the fifth inning. He finished with four runs allowed, two earned, and two strikeouts.
Lifeline: Aaron Boone called it “gut-check time” and confirmed Max Fried will start tomorrow’s Game 3, with Carlos Rodón in line for a potential Game 4. Aaron Judge, still recovering from a calf strain, was left off the ALDS roster.
Extension Tension
Karl-Anthony Towns hardened his stance on his contract situation before Monday’s preseason opener. Asked whether a deal could get done before the season, Towns gave a bleak, to-the-point answer: “it don’t look good.” He has said he would take a discount off the roughly $276 million he is eligible for in the coming years, but the Knicks have reportedly offered about four years and $200 million.
Jersey watch: Towns arrived at Xfinity Mobile Arena in an Eagles jersey, and Knicks fans online were quick to pounce.
Brunson’s back: Jalen Brunson scored 12 points in about 15 minutes in his first game action since offseason wrist surgery, knocking down two first-quarter threes.
Brown vs. Brown: Jaylen Brown scored 22 in his Sixers debut, with LeBron James, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey all sitting out of Philadelphia’s 120-97 win. Mike Brown said the Knicks’ lack of physicality bothered him. The teams meet again Oct. 20 to open the regular season.
Blue Skies, Jet Lag
Hallelujah, the Giants are 3-1 and alone in first place atop the NFC East. They head to Washington (1-3) on Sunday, where they can expect to see Jayden Daniels back in action after a dislocated left elbow that cost him two games. Elsewhere, the Jets (1-3) are trying to stop the bleeding after a third straight loss – this one to a Bears team starting backup Tyson Bagent – before Cleveland visits MetLife this weekend.
Backup plan: John Harbaugh said it is “definitely on the table” for J.J. McCarthy to move ahead of Jake Haener as Jameis Winston’s primary backup this week.
Injury watch: Braxton Berrios (ankle/foot) is not on injured reserve yet, and Harbaugh said more will be known today on his, Jason Pinnock’s, and Chauncey Golston’s statuses. As for the Jets, Braiden McGregor is officially out for the rest of the season with a torn pectoral.
Glenn and bear it: Aaron Glenn said he was very disappointed in the loss, but vowed to flush it and focus on going 1-0 each week.
Geno owns up: Geno Smith said Week 4 was not his best game and that he could have played better.
On This Day
On Oct. 6, 1969, the Mets beat the Atlanta Braves, 7-4, at Shea Stadium to complete a sweep of the first ever NLCS and win the franchise’s first pennant. At that point, the Miracle Mets were the quickest expansion team to take the National League title, only eight years old at the time.
What to Watch
Islanders at Rangers, Tonight, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN): The first of four meetings between the crosstown rivals this season comes at the Garden, with the Rangers (3-1) on a roll.