Alex Verdugo hit a tie-breaking RBI single in the seventh inning to put the Yankees ahead for good in a 6-5 victory over the Royals on a night ace Gerrit Cole wasn’t at his best.
With the Mets offense being shut out by Zack Wheeler, four Mets pitchers out of the bullpen kept the score close enough for New York to win in comeback fashion.
Welcome to the MLB playoffs, Shohei Ohtani.
While it was only one game, the series opener against the Mets carried even more potential to set the tone than most.