The Yankees\u2019 inevitable march to the playoffs hit an unexpected roadblock Saturday, as they were knocked around by the too-little, too-late surging Mets 12-2 in The Bronx.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With hopes of clinching their third straight playoff appearance and keeping up their chase of the Rays in the AL East, the Yankees instead saw Gerrit Cole have perhaps his worst start since coming back from Tommy John surgery, while a lineup energized by Aaron Judge\u2019s return stunningly stymied by rookie lefty Zac Thornton.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Mets, meanwhile, continued their surprising \u2014 if belated \u2014 turnaround.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Needing to beat the Mets and then hope for a loss by the Blue Jays to Baltimore later in the afternoon, the Yankees will have to wait at least until Sunday to clinch a wild-card spot, as their four-game winning streak ended.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHitters and offenses are good,\u2019\u2019 Cole said. \u201cHigh-stakes games against good offenses, sometimes they teach you lessons \u2014 like today.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) grand slam home run during the eighth inning when the New York Yankees played the New York Mets Saturday, September 12, 2026 at Yankee Stadium. Robert Sabo for NY Post<\/p>\n
That included six home runs by the Mets, their season high and tied for as many as the Yankees have allowed in a game all year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me, it\u2019s the same everywhere,\u2019\u2019 Juan Soto said of the team\u2019s approach in front of a sold-out crowd in The Bronx. \u201cThey\u2019re really passionate fans. We want to have a good day anywhere we go.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
This was one of them, as they hit Cole well enough that the ace heard some boos as he exited the game in the fifth inning and there were some \u201cLet\u2019s go Mets\u201d chants as they pulled away late.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) reacts on the mound during the fifth inning. Bill Kostroun for NY Post<\/p>\n
\u201cI did hear the fans,\u201d said Francisco Lindor, who hit a pair of homers, including a grand slam. \u201cIt\u2019s been an uphill fight all year. It sucks we haven\u2019t played much together. This is what we should have been doing since the beginning. We\u2019ll try to make the most of it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
If that means making their crosstown rivals\u2019 path to the playoffs more difficult, they\u2019ll take it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A ninth postseason appearance by the Yankees in the last decade is not in doubt, but they do have to deal with the reality that Cole has been shaky in four consecutive starts.\u00a0<\/p>\n
More worrisome is the fact he\u2019s allowed seven homers in his last two outings.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That includes three Saturday against the Mets, who have won five of their last six games and are 22-13 since selling at the trade deadline.\u00a0<\/p>\n