Report: Yankees players shocked by fan reactions during ALCS

Aug 23, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) runs to first base after hitting a single against the Atlanta Braves during the eighth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees’ performance in the ALCS was poor, to say the least. That prompted a strong fan backlash during Games 3 and 4 at Yankee Stadium, one that apparently left some players feeling sour.

Multiple Yankees players told their agents that playing in Games 3 and 4 was “an unusually brutal experience” on account of the frequent booing that even the team’s starts were faced with, according to Andy Martino of SNY. Players were particularly stunned that even Aaron Judge heard some boos after struggling throughout the series.

Martino adds that some within the organization were surprised by the fan and media reaction to the ALCS loss in recent days, with some characterizing the anger as the most intense in recent memory.

Don’t expect the fans to be sympathetic to this point of view. The Yankees won 99 games and were regarded as a World Series favorite throughout the season, and were carried by Judge’s 62 home runs. That raised expectations for the playoffs, and the World Series-or-bust mentality that typically surrounds the team was even more intense this season.

A big part of the problem is not that the Yankees were eliminated — it’s how they were eliminated. They got swept by a hated foe in the Astros, and star players went missing, with Judge hitting .063 in the series. Combine that with the preventable mistakes that cost them close games and you have a recipe for a lot of fan fury, even if some of it may have been over the top.