Playoff Stanton Continues To Be a Goddamn Monster And Just Put The Yankees On His Back To Win Game 3 Of The ALDS

New York Yankees. Getty Images.

My fucking heart is being tested. Game 3 of a tied ALDS on the road in a goddam nail biter. Any moment could swing the series for either side. As tight as it gets. Not for the faint of heart. 

Now I'll be right up front about it. I questioned if Stanton should be in the lineup today. At the very least I suggested the Yankees be aggressive in pinch running for him because of his extremely limited mobility. It had cost them multiple instances in the first two games and with every moment mattering now you had to cognizant of that issue. Then mid way through the game Stanton stole a base? 

One of the more improbably things I've ever seen in sports. Clearly Stanton was feeling himself and put things in another gear. Great to see, just never saw it coming. Later on he came up in the 8th inning and did what he does best, mash. 

Aaron Judge can't buy a hit right now. Juan Soto was quiet. No matter how they tried, the Yankees couldn't scratch across a go ahead run after blowing the lead. Sadness seemed inevitable. Stanton took matters into his own hands. As clutch as it gets to give the Yankees the lead. That big son of a bitch came through once again. It's his calling card you lean on whenever he struggles in the regular season. He handles all the tough questions like an absolute pro. Faces the media when he's struggling or can't stay on the field. The overall stats might not be pretty, but when the calendar flips to October he just does the damn thing. On Wednesday night he won the Yankees a massive Game 3 to put them one game away from the ALCS. I'm sorry for ever doubting him. What a stud. 

You know who else are studs? The Yankees bullpen. Clay Holmes, Tommy Kahnle, and most importantly Luke Weaver threw up zeroes to shutdown the KC bats and allow the Giancarlo moment to happen. Weaver going five outs for the save. This call by Costas by the way, what are we doing? 

I hate to be that guy who constantly rips on the broadcast. It's the postseason. Just watch the Yankees and root them on, but TBS is making it nearly impossibly to ignore how bad a presentation they've delivered. Even if you ignore Costas somehow, what about the camera shots? Why are we obsessed with hearing George Brett's life story? On the Stanton RBI single in the 4th they opted to show him jogging to 2nd instead of Soto who was trying to beat the throw home. 

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Yes Soto arrives ahead of the throw as it went wild, but would it keep you to show the action so we didn't have to guess? Never seen anything like it at this stage in the season. Crazy. It's like the real TBS crew is on strike and we have replacement level people trying to make this work. Amateur hour. 

Either way, what a big time win. Nothing comes easy with this team, but they've put themselves in a great position to move on. Cole goes Thursday to try and end this thing and avoid a do or die Game 5. How about you show up and earn your money? See ya then. 

P.S. Didn't mention him earlier but Clarke Schmidt gave the Yankees five good innings tonight when they really needed it. Did what Cole or Rodon couldn't in the previous games. Was one pitch from turning in five shutout, but regardless that's a job well done under the circumstances.