It’s been over three months since the Yankees were knocked out of the playoffs by the Rays, who beat them in five games in the ALDS, sealed with Mike Brosseau’s go-ahead homer in the bottom of the eighth off Aroldis Chapman.
Despite the outcome, DJ LeMahieu remains certain that the Yankees should have won the series.
“I think we ran into a really hot Tampa team,” LeMahieu said during a Zoom call Thursday after his six-year, $90 million deal to stay in The Bronx became official. “I thought we were better than they were.”
The Yankees won the opener behind Gerrit Cole and Game 4 thanks to some excellent bullpen work before their offense was shut down in the decisive game and Chapman allowed another big postseason homer.
“ I think they just made a couple plays that we didn’t and that was the bottom line,” LeMahieu said of the Rays, who went on to beat the Astros in seven games in the ALCS before losing the World Series in six.
DJ LeMahieu after striking out in the seventh inning of Game 2 in the ALDS against the Rays on Oct. 6, 2020. Corey Sipkin“Going forward, we’ve got to make those plays, whatever it is,” LeMahieu said of the Rays, who also won eight of 10 meetings between the teams in the regular season. “I thought last year, they just had our number. It was disappointing and I really think we’re gonna get over the hump here.”
