Jose Trevino's idiotic baserunning gaffe, Ian Hamilton injury kill Yankees' momentum

To this point, the New York Yankees have succeeded because of a few sterling pitching performances in addition to their opponents handing them games. The offense has yet to break out. The defense remains a problem. The baserunning is a disgrace.

And that once again plagued them in Game 3 of the ALCS on Thursday. Jose Trevino, who got the start over the slumping Austin Wells, slotted into the No. 9 spot and immediately made an impact. He gave the Yankees the lead with an RBI single to drive in Anthony Volpe in the second inning. The Yanks had starter Matthew Boyd on the ropes.

That is ... until they didn't. Seconds later, Trevino was picked off at first base. The Yankees had runners on first and third with one out. Nobody will ever be able to figure out why one of the slowest players on the team even dared to take a lead that would jeopardize the team, but there you have it. Right in line with what this entire roster does on the base paths.

Gleyber Torres then lifted a liner to left field to end the inning, and that probably would have scored Alex Verdugo on a sac fly had there been one out. Since that point the Yankees haven't gotten a runner on base. It is now the seventh inning.

Jose Trevino's idiotic baserunning gaffe, Ian Hamilton injury kill Yankees' momentum

Just would love to know the thought process here. Any insight would be appreciated. Trevino hasn't played in a game since Sept. 29. Mistakes like these after such a layoff are beyond unacceptable.

On top of the offense getting sucked into a black hole, the pitching staff unraveled. Clarke Schmidt danced around the strike zone and surrendered a two-run homer to Kyle Manzardo to relinquish the lead. Schmidt was then one out away from completing the fifth inning, but allowed a leadoff double to Jose Ramirez. Aaron Boone panicked, removed him from the game after just 78 pitches, used Tim Hill for one out, and then called on Ian Hamilton in the sixth.

Hamilton threw seven pitches before suffering two injuries and leaving the game. He apparently hurt himself covering first base after Jon Berti booted a tough grounder, and then rolled his ankle on the mound when he attempted to warm up after that play.

Cleveland scored another run after Hamilton was removed. The right-hander hadn't pitched in 10 days and immediately walked Lane Thomas to start the inning, and the outfielder came around to score on an Andres Gimenez single off Tim Mayza following the pitching change.

Could the Yankees come back from the 3-1 deficit? Sure! Will they? Absolutely not. They once again showed how they are incapable of taking control as Boyd saw his pitch count dramatically rise after surrendering two hits and three walks in the first two innings. The Yankees only scored one run, gave the Guardians a free out to stall the momentum, and then decided to lie down and let Boyd go five innings — the first Cleveland starter to do that this postseason.

As long as opponents aren't gift-wrapping playoff games for the Yankees, they are incapable of winning one themselves until proven otherwise.