Still not in Cancun? Fans jeered Aaron Judge, Devin Williams, Cam Schlittler as the Yankees trio took to the stands in frustration during the season opener after the American League East team was eliminated from the playoffs by the Toronto Blue Jays.
The echoes of disappointment still reverberated through Yankee Stadium on a crisp October evening, but it was a different kind of roar that greeted the Bronx Bombers when they returned to the diamond for their 2026 season opener against the Baltimore Orioles. Nearly five months after Toronto Blue Jays’ jubilant champagne sprays soaked the infield grass in a series-clinching 5-2 victory in Game 4 of the American League Division Series, a contingent of fed-up fans turned their ire on three of the Yankees’ most prominent faces: captain Aaron Judge, closer Devin Williams, and rookie sensation Cam Schlittler. As the trio made their way to the stands for a ceremonial first pitch—part of a pregame tribute to the team’s “resilient spirit”—the jeers rained down like a sudden spring shower. “Still not in Cancun?” one banner read, a cruel callback to the viral taunt that had haunted the clubhouse since the Jays’ elimination triumph. Chants of “Over-rated!” and “Choke artists!” filled the air, a stark reminder that for New York fans, the wound of another early playoff exit had yet to heal.
It was October 9, 2025, when the Blue Jays delivered the fatal blow, wrapping up the ALDS in four games and sending the Yankees packing for the 16th consecutive season without a World Series title. The series had begun with promise for the pinstripes, who entered as defending AL champions with a 94-68 record tied atop the AL East—only to lose the division on a head-to-head tiebreaker to Toronto. A grueling three-game Wild Card Series win over the Boston Red Sox had fueled optimism, with Schlittler’s eight-inning masterpiece in the decider—a 4-0 shutout where he touched 100 mph repeatedly—earning him hero status and whispers of Cy Young contention in his debut postseason. But against the Jays, the magic evaporated. Toronto exploded for 10 runs in Game 1 and 13 in Game 2 at Rogers Centre, exploiting a Yankees pitching staff that surrendered 23 runs across the first two contests. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., fresh off a 14-year extension that cemented him as the face of the franchise, torched New York for six RBIs, including a three-run homer off Max Fried that turned the opener into a rout.
Game 3 offered a glimmer of redemption. Trailing 5-0 in the third, the Yankees clawed back behind Judge’s three-run blast in the sixth—a 420-foot moonshot to right-center that ignited a 9-6 comeback victory and forced a decisive fourth game. Judge, who slashed .500/.581/.692 across the series with 13 hits in 26 at-bats, finally looked like the October force fans had begged for since his playoff debut in 2017. His performance silenced critics who had long labeled him “Lamar Jackson with a bat”—a regular-season MVP (his third since 2021) who wilted under pressure. “We believed,” Judge said post-Game 3, his voice steady amid the roar of 48,000 faithful. “This is what pinstripes are built for.”
Yet Game 4 exposed the fragility beneath the surface. With the season on the line, manager Aaron Boone tabbed Schlittler for the start—a bullpen game for Toronto meant the rookie would face an onslaught of fresh arms, but his velocity and poise from the Red Sox series suggested he could match fire with fire. Schlittler, the 24-year-old Walpole, Massachusetts native who had rocketed from Double-A obscurity to a 2.96 ERA in 14 big-league starts, delivered four solid innings, allowing just one run on three hits. But the offense, stagnant all series save for Judge’s heroics, managed only a solo homer from Ryan McMahon in the third. Toronto’s bullpen carousel—eight pitchers, led by Louis Varland’s deceptive slider—stifled New York, stranding eight runners and inducing 14 groundouts.
The unraveling came in the seventh. A fielding error by Jazz Chisholm Jr.—a soft hopper that caromed off his glove heel into the outfield—opened the floodgates. Nathan Lukes’ two-run single and Addison Barger’s three hits piled on, pushing the Jays to a 5-1 lead. Boone turned to his bullpen, summoning Devin Williams, the former Milwaukee closer acquired in a midseason blockbuster to shore up late-inning woes. Williams, who had posted a 5.73 ERA in pinstripes marred by two demotions from the closer role, entered with runners on the corners. What followed was a nightmare: a wild pitch scored a run, George Springer’s sac fly made it 5-2, and Williams’ slider hung for Guerrero to line out, but the damage was done. The 31-year-old, once a three-time NL Reliever of the Year, walked slowly off the mound as boos cascaded from the stands—his third blown save in as many playoff appearances.
As the final out landed in Cody Bellinger’s glove—a strikeout of Trent Grisham—the Blue Jays erupted in celebration, their first ALCS berth since 2016 secured on the Yankees’ home turf. Boone’s postgame presser was a somber affair, the manager defending his charges while admitting the “golden opportunity” slipped away. “We had the pieces,” he said. “Judge was peaking, Schlittler was electric, Williams has that closer’s mentality. But playoffs are a beast.” Offseason questions loomed large: Would free agents like Paul Goldschmidt and DJ LeMahieu return? Could Boone survive another October shortfall despite six 90-win seasons? And Judge, now 33 and staring down a potential elbow procedure, vowed to rally the faithful: “We let the fans down. They deserve better. But we’ll be back.”
The jeers on Opening Day 2026 weren’t just about one loss; they encapsulated a decade-plus of near-misses. Since 2009, the Yankees have cycled through $285 million payrolls, blockbuster trades, and saviors like Juan Soto (who departed in free agency last winter), yet the Fall Classic remains a mirage. Schlittler, the “silent killer” who grew up idolizing David Ortiz only to betray Boston with his flamethrower, stood stone-faced amid the taunts, adjusting his cap as if prepping for another elimination start. Williams, whose late-season rebound had earned a standing ovation in the ALDS, clenched his jaw, the weight of his implosions evident. Judge, ever the diplomat, waved gamely before the trio retreated to the dugout, the “Cancun” jabs a bitter nod to the forced vacation that followed.
In the stands, not all was venom. Pockets of applause broke through for Judge’s unwavering leadership, and Schlittler’s wild-card gem lingered in lore—a belt around his waist post-Red Sox, goggles fogged by champagne. But as the Orioles took the field, the message was clear: Forgiveness comes with rings. For the Yankees, the path to absolution winds through Toronto’s shadow, where Guerrero and the Jays now chase their first title since 1993. Boone’s squad must prove the jeers wrong, starting now. The Bronx waits for no one—least of all those still dreaming of beaches in October.
